The Canadian department for transportation, Transport Canada, has unveiled the final terms of reference, as well as issued requests for proposals for the governments review into rail freight in the country(*).

The review is set to examine services offered by both Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railway to national and international shippers, the government announced the review after tabling amendments to the shipper protection provisions of the Canada Transportation Act last year.

Commenting on the release of the final terms of reference and request for proposals, The Honourable Lawrence Cannon,  Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities said that “the fact that we are moving forward with this review is good news for shippers of a broad range of commodity groups and will benefit grain farmers as well.”

Minister Cannon added that government priority is to “have an effective, efficient, consistent and reliable rail transportation supply chain.”  “I am particularly interested in the development of indicators that would help monitor system performance and expedite improvements when problems arise.”

According to Transport Canada, the scope of the review will include Canada’s rail-based logistics chain and will focus on service provided to Canadian shippers and customers by both CN and CPR within Canada, including to and from ports and border crossings. 

The review is said to be conducted in two stages and is scheduled to take up to eighteen months to complete before being handed to the minister.

Source: CNW Group

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