CANADA: CN announced a multi-year programme to invest C$500m in infrastructure improvements on feeder rail lines in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan on April 16. CN said freight volumes in Western Canada have increased by more than 50% over the past five years, and the lines are handling rising volumes of industrial products, natural resources and energy-related commodities.
CN has allocated C$100m for work on branch lines in northern Alberta this year, with infrastructure upgrading and safety improvements to include heavier rail, new ballast and sleepers ‘to ensure the network can efficiently accommodate future freight volume growth in the Peace River region’.
‘CN sees significant long-term potential in its customer base located on its Western Canada feeder network’, said President & CEO Claude Mongeau. ‘We want to provide our customers with the capacity for continued efficient freight transportation services that increase their competitiveness in North American and global markets, as well as ensure our rail infrastructure is as safe as possible.’
