Teamsters Canada Rail Conference

CN Rail has applied to the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) to delist 53 producer car loading sites on the prairies.

This includes 24 locations in Saskatchewan, 20 in Alberta and 9 in Manitoba. (Here is a list of the locations in our province: Dundurn, Bladworth, Harris, Biggar, Scott, Brock, Kindersley, Flaxcombe, Alsask, Tisdale, Quill Lake, Wadena, Invermay, Buchanan, Sturgis, Yorkton, Kelso, Leney, Lashburn, Langbank, Odessa, Vibank and Atwater)

The application was made in early July. The 60 day comment period expires on Sunday. CN spokesperson Kelli Svendsen says approximately three-quarters of the sites have not been used at all over the past few years. The remaining 25 percent have seen less than five cars over a two year period.

The National Farmers Union wants the federal government to keep the 53 sites open and change the regulations to provide more protection for producer car loading locations. NFU Executive Secretary Terry Pugh says the sites do not cost the railways any money, even though CN counters there are inspection expenses to make sure the locations are safe and accessible.

The Wheat Board is also urging CN to re-consider its decision . . . saying farmers doing their own loading can reduce grain handling costs by $800 to $1200 per car.

If the Canadian Transportation Agency approves CN Rail's request . . . the company will have 120 producer car loading sites remaining in western Canada.