Reading Time: < 1 minute The province is “currently assessing policy options” for its fleet of hopper cars, says an analyst with Alberta Agriculture. In the early ’80s, Alberta and Saskatchewan each purchased 1,000 hopper cars to supplement the fleet of 13,300 owned by the federal government, noted Chuanliang Su. Read more: Railways say they’re ready for large shipping season […] Read more
Province ‘assessing’ its hopper car fleet
CP joins CN in rejuvenating grain hopper car fleet
New-generation hopper cars are shorter, carry more grain, and are faster to load and unload
Reading Time: 2 minutes CP Rail says it will spend more than $500 million on new high-capacity grain hopper cars. The company announced last month it has ordered 1,000 new hopper cars and expects to see more than 500 of them in service by the end of the year. “These new rail cars will revitalize our fleet,” said CP […] Read more
Saskatchewan cuts farm fuel tax exemptions in budget
“Purple gas” is about to become a quaint old figure of speech for Saskatchewan farmers as the provincial tax exemption for bulk gasoline for farm use ends April 1. The provincial government on Wednesday rolled out a budget designed to dial back the province’s reliance on resource revenue in the face of slumping markets for […] Read more
Is a grain transportation remedy finally on its way?
A new rail bill is due this spring. Will Ottawa find a fix for long-standing issues or will it be more of the same old?
Reading Time: 3 minutes A new rail transport bill is on the horizon, but it’s still too soon to say whether that will bring about meaningful change for Canadian farmers. “We’ll see what comes out in the new rail bill — how far they’re willing to go on this,” said Steve Pratte, manager of policy development for the Canadian […] Read more
Railways’ mandatory minimum grain handles ending
Canada’s big two railways can resume moving grain at their own pace as the federal government’s order in council setting mandatory minimum grain traffic quotas is set to expire unrenewed. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Transport Minister Lisa Raitt announced the federal government won’t renew the mandatory minimums, which are due to expire Saturday. The […] Read more
The little railway that could
The railway moved 2,100 rail cars last year but getting them is an ongoing challenge
Reading Time: 3 minutes The Battle River Railway is a little engine that could — and it just keeps chugging along despite challenges thrown its way. “The grain business looks good. We moved 2,100 cars last year and we have every expectation of moving that much or more this year,” said Ken Eshpeter, the railway’s chairman and CEO and […] Read more
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