The Government of Canada hosts stakeholder roundtable discussion on grain transportation

SASKATOON, Sept. 12, 2018 /CNW/ - An efficient and reliable rail system for moving Canadian grain and other commodities to market is key to the continued success of Canada's economy.

Today, the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, and the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, hosted a roundtable discussion on grain transportation with grain producers, shippers, and railways.

The Transportation Modernization Act, which became law on May 23, 2018, put in place the right conditions to ensure a fair, efficient, balanced and transparent freight rail system. Today's roundtable discussion provided participants with an opportunity to share information, to address challenges, and to support the implementation of some of the new measures that will help advance our common goals.

Topics covered included:

• the Transportation Modernization Act, which provides a strengthened suite of freight rail measures for all shippers, including the ability to seek reciprocal financial penalties in service agreements with railways;
• new data provisions that will significantly improve transparency across the freight rail system and provide insight into railway service and performance; and,
• the importance of sharing information, particularly in the context of forecasting and planning.

The roundtable discussion also provided participants with an opportunity to discuss plans to move grain along with other traffic when faced with winter weather conditions.

The Government of Canada is actively engaging stakeholders on a number of fronts, as we begin implementing the Transportation Modernization Act and improving Canada's transportation system.

Quotes

"Our government is committed to working with rail-based supply chains to ensure that the freight rail transportation system enables the efficient and reliable movement of goods, and supports trade and economic growth. I'm encouraged by the discussion around the table today. I'm hopeful that collaboration like this can continue, not only for the grain industry, but also for other commodity groups".

The Honourable Marc Garneau
Minister of Transport

"Harvest is underway and Canadian grain farmers need to be sure they have a transportation system that will meet their needs. Our Government identified agriculture as one of the top sectors for growth and job-creation in Canada, and has set the ambitious goal of increasing our agri-food exports to $75B by 2025. In addition to the new provisions laid out in our Government's Transportation Modernization Act, today's discussion will help ensure we are ready to get our farmers' products to export markets and put more money in their pockets."

The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Quick Facts

• Transportation is an important element of Canada's trade with other countries. In 2016, total international trade amounted to $1,050 billion. The U.S. continued to be Canada's top trade partner, with $673 billion in trade ($394.5 billion exported, $278.3 billion imported), accounting for 64 per cent of total Canadian trade in 2016.
• The Transportation Modernization Act is specifically designed to help prevent grain backlog by strengthening Canada's overall transportation system and establishing a strong, reliable and efficient freight rail system for the future.

Associated Links

• Transportation 2030
• Initiatives supporting crop producers

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SOURCE Transport Canada