Early in 2019, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) started an investigation around freight rail service levels in the Vancouver area. At the time, there was speculation as to which industry or industries had made the level of service complaint, and what commodities were all involved. The service complaint is the first test of new transportation… Read More
The agri-business division of La Coop fédérée, recently rebranded as Sollio Agriculture, and QSL, a terminal operator, have announced they will partner on a new grain terminal at the Port of Oshawa, Ontario. QSL operates a network of more than 30 terminals along the St. Lawrence–Great Lake corridor through its subsidiaries in Chicago and Ogdensburg,… Read More
In an outreach effort to connect with the agriculture sector, last week CN Railway took members of the agriculture industry aboard their executive train for a chance to have an open dialogue about how the two industries interact with each other. CN’s executive vice-president corporate services and chief legal officer, Sean Finn was along for… Read More
What’s said in the dome car, stays in the dome car. Alright, that might be an inside joke, but in all honesty the dome car (see photo below) was a very different atmosphere to discuss agriculture. On Tuesday, I had the chance to be part of a small group of agriculture influencers and industry stakeholders… Read More
In her first trip to Saskatchewan, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau spent the day in Saskatoon discussing the issue of China blocking Canadian canola shipments with producers and industry stakeholders. Trade Diversification Minister, Jim Carr was also present during the two part meeting held late last week. Bibeau says they’re “ready to go” when… Read More
G3 is expanding its grain elevator network. The company plans to build two high-efficiency grain elevators near Irricana and in Stettler County, Alta. “Central Alberta is one of the most important grain growing regions in Canada,” says G3 CEO Don Chapman. “We are excited to be able to provide farmers in the region a new choice to market… Read More
Many questions still remain around why Chinese authorities blocked all canola export shipments from Richardson International about two weeks ago. For quite some time, China has been a major importer of Canadian canola. China’s imports account for roughly 4o per cent of of all Canadian exports of canola seed, oil, and meal. The Canola Council of Canada… Read More
Farm groups such as the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) have lobbied the government this past month to get cardlock fuel included in the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (GGPPA) exemption and it looks like they’re close to the finish line. In the release of the federal budget, the government announced it’s looking into… Read More
A confluence of weather events came together in some Midwestern States last week which is causing emotional, physical and financial devastation. A weather ‘cyclone bomb’ with barometric lows most often seen in hurricanes, exploded over a large swath of the U. S. bringing rain, onto snow covered, frozen ground which could not absorb the moisture… Read More
Over the weekend, Members of Parliament held an emergency meeting to discuss the restriction of canola shipments from Richardson International to China. The news of the blocked shipments broke about two weeks ago, and China import officials say the revoked cargo was due to ‘hazardous pests’. Brandon-Souris MP, Larry Maguire says other MPs wanted this emergency… Read More
Canadian National (CN) Railway has announced it will be investing more than $245 million in Saskatchewan, through capital expenditures, hiring more train conductors, and purchasing high horsepower locomotives. CN employs roughly 1,300 people in the province, and its railroad route covers approximately 1,937 miles. “This year, CN is investing $35 million more than last year to… Read More
It appears the Government of Alberta has listened to Team Alberta’s concerns over the timing of the Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) for new Class 1 drivers announced last month. Transportation Minister Brian Mason has announced agricultural workers may apply for a one-year exemption from the training, recognizing the quick turn-around to implement MELT would be incredibly tight… Read More
The Government of Canada has published revisions to the Health of Animals Regulations (HAR). The regulations come into force one year from publication, on February 1, 2020. While the advent of revamped regulations is not unexpected — there has been a significant amount of consultation on the proposed changes — the timing of the final… Read More
In a move the province says should net Albertans a better price for energy resources found in Alberta, Premier Rachel Notley announced her government has made a deal with Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP) railways. The lease agreement of roughly 4,400 rail cars will move up to 120,000 barrels per day by 2020. Just last… Read More
The news Three existing livestock codes of practice will receive updates and one new code of practice will be created with an announced $4.56 million granted to the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC), on behalf of the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC). NFACC is a collaborative partnership of stakeholders created to share information and work… Read More