A record Alberta canola crop has pushed the number of grain cars transported by Canadian National Railway Co (CNR.TO) to British Columbia ports to a 20-year high, the railway said on Wednesday.
CN, Canada’s biggest railway, moved more than 125,000 grain cars to export terminals at the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert during the 2010/11 crop marketing year, which ended July 31.
CN moved 6.7 million tonnes of grain – more than half of which was canola – through Vancouver, and 4 million tonnes of grain through Prince Rupert.
CN began last year a grain-loading schedule that it says has improved grain transportation.
Viterra Inc (VT.TO), Canada’s biggest grain handler, is pleased with the improvement in CN’s service, said Bob Miller, Viterra’s senior vice-president of North American grain.
Canada is the leading exporter of several key crops, including spring wheat and canola, but its vast distances and lack of a river freight system make the grain industry heavily dependent on railways.
CN shares were down 20 Canadian cents in Toronto on Wednesday afternoon at C$69.56 per share.
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