(Regular updates will be available on the Alberta Pulse Growers website.)

Pulse Canada and the CSCA are partners of the Ag Transport Coalition (ATC)*, which tracks performance of the Canadian railway network for the movement of grain.

A new grain network status report has been created to provide stakeholders with comprehensive insight on the performance of the Canadian rail system for the 2020-2021 grain year.  The report provides information and data on the status of the rail network as of midnight the previous day.

The railway performance data reported in these reports reflect the performance of rail shipments specifically for grain shippers participating in the Ag Transport Coalition’s railway performance measurement program – estimated to encompass approximately 90-95% of western Canadian originated grain shipments by rail.

December 6, 2020: Report Synopsis

Loads on Wheels

· Loads on wheels last week averaged nearly 13,000 cars per day – 3% higher than the prior week and the highest level seen in the current grain year.  The increase seen last week was driven by a 10% increase in CP volumes.

· Loads on wheels declined yesterday after rising to nearly 14,000 cars on line Saturday.  Early in the week, system volumes are tracking where they were at this time last week, at nearly 13,500 cars per day.

Cars Not Moving

· The system count of loads not moving averaged nearly 2,800 cars per day last week with multiple days seeing counts above the 3,000 car mark.  Counts did decline late last week from this peak to about 2,000 cars on Friday but have now increased for two consecutive days, returning to nearly 2,800 cars yesterday.

Port Unloads

· West coast unloads (1,077) were at the lowest levels in the last eight weeks last week.  Unloads did improve yesterday returning above 1,200 cars for the first time in five days.

* The Ag Transportation Coalition is comprised of the Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA), Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC), Pulse Canada, Manitoba Pulse Growers Association (MPGA), Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA), Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, Inland Terminal Association of Canada (ITAC) and the Canadian Special Crops Association (CSCA).All daily network status reports are available on the Pulse Canada website

For more information, go to www.agtransportcoalition.com