While negotiations continue between the Canadian government and protesters to the Coastal GasLink pipeline, rail companies on both Canadian coasts have begun working through the backlog of cargo stuck at ports. The protest blockades to several major rail routes cut the Canadian National Railway's volume nationwide by more than 25% over the last two weeks.
Limited volume flowed through the port of Montreal on Wednesday as ports took steps toward recovering from the blockades. The western ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert are seeing reduced dwell times as well, thanks to the restored rail service. The port of Halifax, on the other hand, is reporting it still has no CN service. Despite the removal of several blockades by Ontario Provincial Police, protesters are quick to establish new blockades in different areas.
The Canadian National railway has begun using alternative routes while talks between the parties continue, albeit with shorter trains and lower frequency than are typical. Transport Minister Marc Garneau said that the effects of these disruptions would be felt for weeks and months to come.
We will continue to monitor the situation and update our customers accordingly. Please contact your OTS Sales representative with any questions.