Canada’s economy is recovering during the prolonged impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit slowly. Ted Mallett, director of economic forecasting with the Conference Board of Canada, points to several positive signs and circumstances to the recovery. For one, the economy has grown this year, about five per cent, however there is ground to make up,… Read More
Throughout COVID and the resulting logistical constraints of the past 18 months, some shortages have been overstated, inflated in their impact, or should have been ignored in hindsight — but the potential for a fertilizer disruption for 2022 is different. Fertilizer is not toilet paper or cheap clothing from China; regardless of prices or supplies… Read More
G3 has announced plans to build two new grain elevators in Western Canada. The new locations will be at Rycroft, Alta., and Melfort, Sask., with each elevator having a capacity of 42,000 tonnes. Construction will begin later this year, pending final regulatory approvals, with completion targeted for early 2023. The new facilities are both be… Read More
Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway’s plan to acquire Kansas City Southern (KCS) is one major step closer to becoming a done deal. The companies signed a merger agreement on Wednesday after rival Canadian National (CN) Railway waived its right to a five-day period to negotiate new terms with the coveted Kansas City-based railroad. The US$27.2 billion… Read More
Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway’s plan to acquire Kansas City Southern (KCS) and establish the first Canada-U.S.-Mexico railway is back on track after U.S. regulators blocked rival Canadian National (CN) Railway’s merger application late last month. The KCS board of directors announced on Sunday — the deadline given by CP in its offer — that it… Read More
Update, Sept 1: KCS has canceled the shareholder vote that was to be held Friday on whether to accept CN Rail’s offer. CN Rail’s preferred plan for taking over Kansas City Southern (KCS) has been blocked by U.S. regulators in a decision that’s being welcomed by rival suitor CP Rail. On Tuesday, the U.S. Surface… Read More
The Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA) is responding to a request by Saskatchewan farm groups to intervene on producers’ behalf regarding contract fees and penalties incurred during the 2021 marketing year. The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), SaskBarley, SaskCanola, SaskFlax, SaskOats, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, and SaskWheat released a joint statement this week, calling on… Read More
In gearing up for Hay West, the question has been asked, why not cows east? It’s an important question to ask. After all, one load of cattle to Ontario, Quebec, or the Atlantic provinces saves sending several truck loads of hay west. There’s no shortage of easterners wanting to send “extra” feed west, but much… Read More
Both of Canada’s major railways say they moved a record amount of grain during the 2020-21 crop year, which wrapped up on July 31. CN Rail says it moved just over 31 million metric tonnes of Canadian grain and grain products in hopper cars, exceeding its previous record of 29.4 million tonnes set in the… Read More
India has lowered its tariff on Canadian lentils to 11 per cent, down from the 33 per cent levied against the crop about a year ago. The new tariff rate applies to all lentils, except those from the U.S., which will face a 22 per cent levy. Mac Ross, director of market access and trade… Read More
In the early 2000s, Canadian farmers from the east helped out those in the west with hay supplies, after the drought of 2002 left very little for feed. Dubbed Hay West, the grassroots movement was revived 10 years later, when western Canadian farmers returned the favour for many farmers in Ontario’s Ottawa Valley with Hay… Read More
Update, as of July 14: Both CN and CP once again halted traffic in the area around Lytton, B.C. on Wednesday due to new fires east of the community. “For the safety of our crews, we are not currently running trains between Kamloops and Lytton, B.C.,” says CN in a network update distributed July 14…. Read More
The federal transport minister has issued an order requiring Canada’s two main railways — Canadian National and Canadian Pacific — to implement a set of measures aimed at preventing further wildfires in southern B.C. and other parts of the country where fire risk is high. Minister Omar Alghabra issued the ministerial order on Sunday, following… Read More
Parrish & Heimbecker has announced it is building a new elevator at its existing site near Yorkton, Sask. The company says the new facility, which will replace the elevator that’s been at the location since 1980, will include 25 thousand tonnes of grain storage and a 150-car loop track, serviced by CN Rail. “We look… Read More
The surge in canola processing that’s been announced for Saskatchewan over the last four months is expected to result in a more than 50 per cent increase in Canada’s domestic canola crush capacity, which could have major logistical and trade flow implications for crops grown on the Prairies. A record 10.3 million tonnes of canola… Read More