Reading Time: 2 minutes Last week’s passage of the 2023 federal budget starts a 90-day countdown toward an 18-month test of expanded interswitching on railways in the three Prairie provinces. Bill C-47, the government’s budget implementation bill — which was first read April 20 in the House of Commons and got third reading in the Senate and royal assent […] Read more
Rail interswitching expansion pilot clears Parliament
Grain handlers to press for plan to be made permanent
Richardson elevators expanding to feed ‘high-efficiency’ trains
Eight sites along CPKC lines to get expanded rail car spots
Reading Time: 2 minutes Grain handler Richardson International plans to expand rail car spots at eight Prairie elevators on Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) lines as the railway gears up for longer trains with new higher-volume hopper cars. Winnipeg-based Richardson on Monday announced expanded rail car spots for its elevators at Lacombe, Carseland, Provost and Olds, Alta.; Estevan, Whitewood […] Read more
P+H upgrading southwestern Ontario elevator
Improved unload times expected for wheat deliveries
Reading Time: < 1 minute Updated, April 6 — Agrifood firm Parrish and Heimbecker has started “major” upgrades on one of its southwestern Ontario grain elevators, with plans to dedicate the site to milling wheat. Winnipeg-based P+H said Tuesday the work already underway at its inland facility on Highway 21 just south of Kincardine will boost unloading speeds on grain […] Read more
Railways push back on feds’ proposed interswitching revival
Railways also oppose ban on replacement workers
Reading Time: 3 minutes With Easter less than two weeks away, an Easter egg in the federal government’s 2023 budget calls for a new pilot program to again provide Prairie grain shippers with extended interswitching. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s budget, released Tuesday, laid out a list of investments to “further strengthen Canada’s transportation systems and supply chain infrastructure.” A […] Read more
Competition Bureau’s call for Manitoba elevator sale rejected
Bureau 'carefully reviewing' Competition Tribunal decision
Reading Time: 2 minutes A federal antitrust tribunal’s decision may soon make Canadian grain firm Parrish and Heimbecker the uncontested owner of the full set of Louis Dreyfus’ Prairie grain elevators. In a decision dated Oct. 31, the Competition Tribunal — the federal quasi-judicial body with the power of approval over any antitrust actions proposed by the federal Competition […] Read more
Farmers get week to dispute grain grade, dockage
Window widened following consultations
Reading Time: 2 minutes Prairie farmers who want to dispute a grain elevator’s call on their grain’s grade and dockage now officially have up to a week to do so. The Canadian Grain Commission on Oct. 3 announced amendments to the Canada Grain Regulations are now in effect allowing grain growers more time — seven calendar days, to be […] Read more
Sollio to exit southwestern Ontario grain handling
Country elevator assets to be sold after harvest, co-op to focus on ag retail
Reading Time: 2 minutes One of Canada’s biggest ag co-operatives is moving ahead on plans to “optimize assets” by shedding its stake in grain handling in southwestern Ontario and focusing more closely on retail ag inputs. Sollio Agriculture, the agribusiness arm of Quebec-based Sollio Cooperative Group, on Tuesday announced it will start “an orderly wind-down” of its Ontario Grain […] Read more
Elevator declarations changing Aug. 1
CGC says the move won't harm Canada's grain quality assurance system
Reading Time: 3 minutes The declarations of eligibility western Canadian farmers sign before delivering to elevators, effective Aug. 1, will no longer include crops that don’t require end-use quality assessment as part of the variety registration process. “It’s not a big change,” Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) spokesman Remi Gosselin said in an interview Thursday. Wade Sobkowich, executive director of […] Read more
Viterra to buy Marubeni’s U.S. grain firm Gavilon
Grain handler looking to expand reach in Americas through acquisitions
Reading Time: 3 minutes Grain firm Viterra’s plans to buy an expanded global reach are about to move forward with a 10-figure deal for the bulk of U.S. ag commodity firm Gavilon’s grain business. Viterra, owned by commodities firm Glencore and two Canadian public-sector pension funds, announced Wednesday it will pay $1.125 billion to buy Omaha-based Gavilon from the […] Read more
Farmers may get time to dispute grain grade, dockage
Canadian Grain Commission proposes extended time frame
Reading Time: 3 minutes Prairie farmers seeking more time to dispute a grain elevator’s call on their grain’s grade and dockage — whether they’re present at delivery or not — may soon get that time under a new proposal from the Canadian Grain Commission. The CGC on Monday opened up proposed regulatory amendments to an 11-week public consultation period […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
