Transportation

Canada’s grains are well travelled, moving from the farm to Canadian and global destinations.

Over 90% of canola grown in Canada is exported by rail, and the industry relies on efficient, predictable and timely rail service. In short, the rail system needs to work for the shipper, not the other way around.

CCGA’s policy development efforts in transportation also include the following:

Ag Transport Coalition

CCGA is a member of the Ag Transport Coalition, a group that looks to advance discussions with government and the railways to ensure the system is meeting the needs of Canadian businesses.

The Coalition releases daily reports to ensure accountability of the railways. These reports measure performance across a range of key indicators, including: rail car demand, supply and timeliness of rail cars, corridor performance, and more.

Advocating for Extended Interswitching

The CCGA, along with like-minded partners and associations, support the implementation of extended interswitching to help drive competitiveness in the Canadian rail system.

What is extended interswitching? For shippers who are physically located on a single rail line, extended interswitching will give them the ability to seek competing service from the next closest railway if it is within the 160km radius currently legislated within the pilot. This means better rail service, improved efficiency, and better access to markets for farmers and shippers.

Learn more about extended interswitching

Future of Canada's Hopper Cars

With Canada's publicly-owned fleet of hopper cars due to expire in the next decade, our policy staff has done research on what this future means for the grain transportation system, and what strategic considerations should be made going forward.

Learn more

Fast Facts on Grain Transportation