Canadian National

The year’s five biggest U.S.-Canada cross-border supply chain stories include Pride Group’s bankruptcy, as well as railway and port strikes.

Canadian union Unifor said its members ratified new four-year agreements with Canadian National Railway.

The railroads got what they wanted in Canada’s contract dispute: binding arbitration.

It could take the two largest Canadian railroads a week or more to recover from the effects of a shutdown that briefly stalled billions in freight including transborder trade with the United States.

The industries to be most heavily impacted are those in bulk commodities, such as grain, potash and metallurgical coal. In addition, several intermodal corridors will be heavily impacted including long-haul international intermodal lanes, cross-border lanes. US intermodal volume is seeing a boost, but that could lead to congestion.

A recent survey by the National Private Truck Council highlighted the growth of private fleets in size, volume and freight value.

CN said it received no response from Teamsters after making a final contract offer in a bid to avoid service disruption.

While contract talks between Canadian National, Canadian Pacific Kansas City and union employees continue, a rail shutdown would reverberate through the supply chain connecting Canada and the U.S.

Amid lockout and strike notices, contract bargaining continues as Ottawa makes a push for both sides to come together on a new rail labor contract.

Canada’s busiest import gateway is managing port fluidity as railroads issue lockout notices, and Teamsters are warning of a planned strike as the latest contract talks fail.

Canadian National’s operations are returning to normal through Jasper, Alberta, where wildfires devastated part of the town and shut down rail traffic last week.

Canadian National reopened its main line through Jasper, Alberta, this morning and began moving a backlog of traffic that had built up this week while wildfires threatened and ultimately engulfed part of the resort town.

The Biden administration is calling railroad executives to Washington to explain how they plan to reverse negative cargo trends and grow their business.

Teamsters Canada said negotiations with Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City have stalled over issues of pay and working conditions.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley are bullish on the growth prospects for
Canadian National Railway Co.’s business units in 2024.

Canadian railway CN is acquiring family-owned Iowa Northern Railway, a 275-mile short-line railroad serving the Upper Midwest.

Canadian railway CN, the Mississippi State Port Authority and Ports America have signed a memorandum of understanding for an intermodal service at the Port of Gulfport.

The rail industry continues to streamline operations and realign rail car fleet management via acquisitions.

Partnerships with other Class I railroads will help the freight rail industry gain market share, CN executives said during the Canadian railway’s third-quarter 2023 earnings call Tuesday.

Patrick Whitehead and Derek Taylor will lead different aspects of CN’s operations as the Canadian railway seeks to make its operations more “innovative” and “modern.”