February 25, 2020 – DP World, one of the world’s largest port operators, announced yesterday it has completed the acquisition of Fraser Surrey Docks, with its partner Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. This acquisition complements DP World’s footprint in Canada, which also includes terminal operations in Vancouver, Nanaimo, Prince Rupert and St. John’s. The integrated coast-to-coast platform provides customers with bulk, breakbulk and general cargo services.
February 24, 2020 – Freight trains began moving between Toronto and Montreal late today as the blockade was finally cleared. We anticipate that normal operations will resume by the weekend as long as no more blockades are put into place and we thank our customers for their patience during this time.
February 24, 2020 – Ontario provincial police are moving this morning to clear a rail blockade on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. The blockade near Belleville, Ont., has crippled both freight and passenger rail traffic in most of eastern Canada for nearly three weeks.
February 23, 2020 – The Ontario Provincial Police have given a deadline to the rail line protesters to clear the blockade by midnight Monday Feb. 24th or else enforcement action will be taken. This comes as welcome news for our customers that have been affected by this ongoing delay on rail traffic between Toronto and Montreal
February 22, 2020 – The illegal blockade in Saint Lambert, QC, east of Montreal, QC has ended, allowing CN Rail to resume service in the area. The illegal blockade in Tyendinaga, ON, east of Belleville, ON, is ongoing and now into its 16th day. In the East, due to the current illegal blockades, CN Rail has adjusted their operations but have been forced to only run limited service in the impacted areas until the illegal blockades end. In the West, CN is slowly recovering from the blockades and hopes to be back to normal operations in the coming week.
February 21, 2020 – All inland rail cargo must be evacuated immediately from the Port of Montreal as per a special notification provided this afternoon. Import rail containers dwelling more than 5 calendar days will be charged terminal storage, effective Tuesday, February 25th, 2020. MGT said it will offer storage compensation for all current grounded containers which are diverted to truck. This compensation will be applicable only to units diverted through Monday, February 24th, 3:00P.M. Shifting costs will apply.
February 21, 2020 – Blockade in Tyendinaga, ON is has forced CN to shut down all rail operations between Montreal and Toronto until the blockade is over. Newest blockade in St Lambert, QC could be dismantled shortly under a court injunction but currently affecting rail operations between Montreal and port of St John and Halifax. Current stoppage affects the rail service in both directions between Montreal, Halifax & St John with Western Canada and the Midwest. Canaan Transport has secured trucking capacity in order to move containers to the ports without going through the rail lines. This is subject to availability and is on a priority basis for our customers. Please contact us immediately if this is an option that you wish to consider.
February 20, 2020 – The blockade in Spruce Grove, West of Edmonton has ended. However, a new blockade has been set up on CN’s mainline in St. Lambert, QC approximately 13Km from Montreal, which affects the movement of goods from Halifax to Montreal. The blockade in Tyendinaga, ON is ongoing and now into it’s 13th day. Please contact our team to check an current shipments and the options available. The ocean carriers are working on contingency plans as well. We received a notification from MSC advising they have now an option of switching from rail to truck on the Montreal – Toronto corridor at an additional fee.
February 18, 2020 – With the illegal blockade on Canada’s rail lines, CN has provided the following update :
Our Western Canada recovery plan is underway. We are making good progress against the traffic out on line originating and destined to Prince Rupert, BC. Our service levels are improving daily and we are working around the clock to return to normal operations and the level of service you are accustomed to across the entire Western region.
East of Belleville, the injunction orders for the illegal blockade at Tyendinaga, ON, have yet to be enforced and continue to be ignored by the protesters. We have adjusted our operations to serve customers in the face of these challenges, but have been forced to only run limited service in the impacted areas until the illegal blockades end.
February 14, 2020 – CN announced yesterday that it has been forced to initiate a progressive shutdown of its operations in Eastern Canada. This will include stopping and securing all trans-continental trains across its Canadian network and may soon lead to temporary layoffs within the company’s Eastern Canadian operational staff. CN sought and obtained court orders and requested the assistance of enforcement agencies to end the blockades in Ontario, Manitoba [a short-lived blockade on CN’s main line in Headingley, about 14 km west of Winnipeg] and British Columbia. While the blockades have come to an end in Manitoba and may be ending imminently in B.C., the orders of the court in Ontario have yet to be enforced and continue to be ignored. More than 400 trains have been cancelled since the blockades began.