Railways Release 2025-26 Grain Transportation Plans

Canada’s two major railways, CN and CPKC, have released their respective grain transportation plans for the 2025–26 crop year. 

CN said it is prepared to move between 27 million and 29.5 million tonnes of grain and processed grain products during the upcoming crop year. This comes after CN moved a record 31 million tonnes of grain in the 2024–25 crop year, exceeding its previous record by roughly 1 million. The 2024-25 figure includes both bulk and processed grain by carload, moved to both domestic and international markets. 

“Our Grain Plan reflects CN’s unwavering commitment to Canadian agriculture and the global competitiveness of our farmers and grain handlers,” said CN President and CEO Tracy Robinson. “We’ve taken a comprehensive, end-to-end view of the supply chain by investing where it matters most.” 

Among the improvements in CN’s 2025–26 Grain Plan are changes to how empty hopper cars are distributed from West Coast ports. Rather than routing them through Prairie rail hubs, CN will distribute these cars as they depart Vancouver, improving visibility and planning for customers. Rail users will also benefit from enhanced shipment tracking through CN’s online dashboards and weekly grain reports. 

Meanwhile, CPKC’s 2025–26 Grain Service Outlook lays out its plan to supply capacity for up to 34 million tonnes of Canadian grain and grain products, subject to market demand and overall supply chain efficiency. 

During the open navigation season at the Port of Thunder Bay, CPKC aims to provide weekly capacity for up to 685,000 tonnes of grain shipments. In the winter months, when the port is closed, it plans to move up to 525,000 tonnes weekly. 

The railway said its performance target is contingent on full coordination across the grain supply chain — from terminals and ports to vessels and exporters. “The grain supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link,” CPKC said in its report. 

CPKC concluded the 2024–25 crop year by having moved over 27 million tonnes of Canadian grain, despite a challenging year marked by labour disruptions, tariff uncertainties, and heightened winter operating restrictions.