(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.

May 2, 2021: Report Synopsis

Loads on Wheels

· After averaging daily loads on wheels some 6% below the prior week through much of last week a late surge in traffic bumped average daily volumes to near last week’s levels.

· Loads on wheels declined yesterday for the third straight day to less than 11,000 cars online after jumping to more than 12,200 cars on line last Friday.

Cars Not Moving

· At roughly 1,900 cars per day last week, average daily idle car counts declined for the third straight week reflecting improvements for each of CN and CP.

· System counts jumped significantly yesterday to more than 3,400 cars reflecting sizable increases for both railways.

Port Unloads

· West coast unloads averaged fewer than 1,100 cars per day last week reflecting lower unloads at Vancouver and improved unloads at Prince Rupert which averaged about 200 cars per day.

· Thunder Bay unloads rose for the third consecutive week averaging 305 unloads per day.

For more information, go to www.agtransportcoalition.com* 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.