The following message was issued by the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) on Wednesday, February 12, 2020:
“CN May Be Forced to Shut Down Parts of Network Due to Blockades
CN announced that it will be forced to shut down significant parts of its Canadian network imminently unless the blockades on its rail lines are removed.
“It’s not just passenger trains that are impacted by these blockades, it’s all Canadian supply chains,” said JJ Ruest, president and chief executive officer at CN. “We are currently parking trains across our network, but due to limited available space for such, CN will have no choice but to temporarily discontinue service in key corridors unless the blockades come to an end.
“Intermodal containers carrying perishable goods including food and consumer items, Canadian grain, deicing fluid at airports, construction materials, propane to Quebec and Atlantic Canada, natural resources creating rural jobs across Canada such as lumber, aluminum, coal and propane; all of these commodities are already impacted and will see their movements even more diminished. Factories and mines will be soon faced with very difficult decisions. The Port of Prince Rupert is effectively already shutdown. The Ports of Montreal and Halifax are also already feeling the impact of these blockades which will have a trickledown effect on consumer goods in the next few weeks,” added Ruest.“
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CN encourages stakeholders to contact their government representatives to explain how these blockades impact their businesses, employees and customers.
We are continuing to monitor this situation and will advise accordingly.
For more information, please call David Lychek, Manager – Ocean & Air Services at (905) 882-4880, ext. 1207.
