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Canadian Wheat Board

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Rail service complaint

Update - November 5, 2007

CWB replies to CN's answer in rail service complaint case (PDF)

Update - October 19, 2007

The Canadian Transportation Agency on October 19 ruled on a request by six grain shippers for an interim order that would prevent CN Rail from proceeding with its advance booking programs for grain hopper cars until a dispute is resolved. The CTA ruled against the request. The grain shippers launched a major level-of-service complaint this fall against CN Rail, expected to be resolved early in 2008. The shippers are: the CWB, North East Terminal, North West Terminal, Paterson Grain, Parrish & Heimbecker and Providence Grain.

Update - October 5, 2007

Answer of CN Rail to CWB's application (PDF)

Update - September 28, 2007

Mediation between grain shippers and CN Rail has ended without a resolution. The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) will now determine the outcome of the level-of-service complaints, including the shippers' request for an interim order to suspend CN Rail's advance-products program. Six western Canadian grain shippers entered into mediation with CN Rail on Sept. 19. They are: the CWB, North East Terminal Ltd., North West Terminal Ltd., Parrish & Heimbecker Ltd., Paterson Grain and Providence Grain Group Inc. The shippers are seeking a resolution of their complaints against CN, which centre on the need for reasonably accessible, transparent, user-needs based car allocation for the movement of their grain. The shippers filed applications with CTA the week of Sept. 4.

Update - September 17, 2007

Six western Canadian grain shippers, including the CWB, will enter into mediation with CN Rail this week. The shippers filed applications with the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) the week of September 4 and indicated a willingness to resolve their complaints through mediation. The CWB is pleased that CN has agreed to mediation and to postpone awarding grain rail cars under the advance-car booking programs at issue. If no resolution is reached through mediation, the CTA will be asked to rule on the applications.

CWB files new complaint against CN Rail - September 6, 2007

Six western Canadian grain shippers today announced they will file new level-of-service complaints against CN Rail, which has failed to comply with the spirit of a recent Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) ruling. The outcome of the case will have major implications for grain transportation in Canada.

View the CWB's application (PDF)
View the news release

Listen to the September 5 news teleconference (MP3 4.5MB).

Great Northern Grain wins case against CN - July 6, 2007

Great Northern Grain, an inland grain terminal in Nampa, Alberta, and its supporters celebrated victory in their major level-of-service complaint against Canadian National Railway (CN).

View the news release.

The full text of the CTA’s ruling can be found on the agency's Web site.

Update - May 24, 2007

CTA accepts CWB as intervener

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has accepted the CWB’s application to intervene in the level-of-service case against CN Rail over the transportation of grain from Western Canada. Seventeen other grain-industry organizations, including farm groups, grain companies, producer car shippers and the Province of Alberta, were also granted intervener status in support of GNG’s case. The CTA also confirmed that it has the necessary jurisdiction to conduct an investigation into the complaint, dismissing objections raised by CN.

View the CTA’s ruling.

Update - May 14, 2007

More than 200 concerned Peace River region farmers have signed a petition supporting GNG’s case against CN. The petition states that changes made to CN Rail’s grain car allocation program are causing further deterioration in rail service for grain from Western Canada, citing potential dire consequences for farmers, shippers and handlers. The petition has been sent to federal government transportation and agriculture officials.

Support rippling across Prairies for case against CN Rail

Farmer groups and grain industry organizations from across Western Canada are supporting Great Northern Grain (GNG) in its case against the Canadian National Railway (CN), which was filed on March 8.

The action, filed with the Canadian Transportation Agency, is supported by the Canadian Wheat Board and nine other grain industry corporations, which are seeking intervener status in the case. They are: Great Sandhills Terminal, Northeast Terminal, Northwest Terminal, Parrish & Heimbecker, Paterson Grain, Prairie West Terminal, Providence Grain Group, Southwest Terminal and Weyburn Inland Terminal.

View GNG's application (2.3 MB PDF) to the Canadian Transportation Agency

GNG news releases:

July 6, 2007 Great Northern Grain wins case against CN over grain service (PDF)
April 19, 2007 Support for rail case rippling across the prairies (PDF)
March 8, 2007 Major case filed against CN Rail over grain service (PDF)

Listen to the Webcast of the Ottawa news conference held on March 8 at 11 a.m. ET.

CWB news releases:

April 2, 2007 CWB enters major rail dispute seeking flexibility, cost control for farmers)

View CWB intervener application (121KB PDF)