(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 20, 2021: Report Synopsis

Loads on Wheels

· Loads on wheels paused their seemingly unrelenting decline yesterday rising for the first time in three days yet remaining below the 7,000 car threshold.

· Yesterday’s increase reflects a significant 25% bump on CN although both railways continue to lag last week’s levels by a combined 16% averaging 7,300 cars per day this week.

Cars Not Moving

· System counts of idle cars increased marginally yesterday returning above the 1,200 car mark for the two railways combined.

· Counts continue to track at pretty much the same levels as last week, just below 1,400 cars per day.

Port Unloads

· West coast unloads (481) saw their lowest one day total in the last four months reflecting lower unloads at Vancouver and no unloads at Prince Rupert for the 4th straight day.

· Thunder Bay unloads (277) fell back by a third after surpassing 400 unloads the prior 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.