Reading Time: 4 minutes Western Canada’s grain industry moved a record volume of grain in the 2016-17 crop year that ended July 31 and is gearing up to ship this year’s crop, expected to be the smallest in four years. Export terminals at Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Thunder Bay put through 35.945 million tonnes of grain last crop year, […] Read more
New record set for Prairie grain throughput in 2016-17
Prairie grain freight cost index to rise with fuel prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes An “expected sharp rise” in fuel costs in 2017 compared to 2016 may help raise the cap on how much money Canada’s big two railways can charge to move Prairie grain in 2017-18. The Canadian Transportation Agency — the tribunal which, among its other duties, sets the annual maximum revenue entitlements (MREs) on Prairie grain […] Read more
Grain revenue, grain handle higher in CP’s Q1
Reading Time: < 1 minute Increased grain and potash traffic and revenue helped Canadian Pacific Railway book a shift to “positive volumes” in its first-quarter ledger. Calgary-based CP on Wednesday reported net income of $431 million on revenues of $1.603 billion for its quarter ending March 31, down from $540 million on $1.591 billion in the year-earlier period. “We turned […] Read more
Fire guts Saskatchewan town’s last elevator
Reading Time: 2 minutes Residents of Prelate, Sask. had a rude awakening Tuesday as the village’s last grain elevator, owned by Paterson Grain, was engulfed in flames. Calls to 9-1-1 started coming in at 5:48 a.m. Tuesday, according to Jason Gizen, a local volunteer firefighter and pedigreed seed grower. Gizen lives in the house closest to the elevator and […] Read more
Activist investor activity reignites rail merger hopes
Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters — Shares of railway operator CSX Corp. soared 20 per cent on Thursday after an activist investor’s plan to shake up the U.S. rail operator fueled speculation that the company was once again a takeover target. Investors rushed to bid up shares of CSX after news reports that former Pershing Square partner Paul Hilal […] Read more
CP’s revenue, Prairie grain handle down for year
Reading Time: 2 minutes A reduced Prairie grain handle has taken a bite out of the year-end gross for Canadian Pacific Railway in what’s turned out to be CEO Hunter Harrison’s last year on the job. Calgary-based CP on Wednesday announced full-year net income of $1.599 billion on $6.232 billion in gross revenues, up from $1.352 billion on $6.552 […] Read more
CP, CN both top their Prairie grain revenue caps
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) can soon expect a late gift of over $4.4 million in surplus Prairie grain freight revenue, according to a new ruling from the Canadian Transportation Agency. The agency said Dec. 22 it has determined Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) and Canadian National Railway (CN) went over their maximum revenue entitlements […] Read more
CP trims outlook on delayed Prairie harvest
Reading Time: 2 minutes Rain delays in this year’s Prairie grain harvest have bit into third-quarter revenues and earnings expectations for Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). The Calgary company on Wednesday booked overall net income of $347 million on revenues of $1.554 billion for its quarter ending Sept. 30. While net income was up seven per cent, total revenues were […] Read more
CP to chart weekly grain handling performance online
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian Pacific Railway plans to launch a new weekly “supply chain scorecard” next week, to chart its own performance handling Prairie grain. The Calgary company announced the new program Friday for an online launch Wednesday (Oct. 19), noting the scorecard “will include, when necessary, detailed information on any internal or external factors affecting grain movement” as […] Read more
Railways urge Ottawa to loosen grain hauling rules
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg | Reuters — Canada’s big railways are pressing Ottawa to loosen rules around hauling the country’s crops — changes they say would improve efficiency but that farmers fear would weaken their bargaining power. A February report recommended that Ottawa institutes transportation system changes, including phasing out a 16-year-old cap on revenue that Canadian National […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
