Canada’s two largest railways achieved record grain volumes during the 2025-26 crop year, highlighting the critical role rail transportation plays in moving western Canadian agricultural exports to global markets. Canadian National Railway (CN) moved more than 33.8 million tonnes of grain, surpassing its previous record of 31.2 million tonnes set in 2024-25, while Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) hauled 30.66 million tonnes of grain and grain products, an 11 per cent increase over the previous year and a new company record. Railway officials credited years of infrastructure investments, improved network capacity and collaboration with grain shippers for the strong performance. Looking ahead, both railways expect another robust year, with CN indicating capacity to move up to 36.7 million tonnes and CPKC forecasting grain shipments of up to 34.5 million tonnes in 2026-27. The record volumes underscore the importance of an efficient rail network to maintaining Canada’s reputation as a reliable supplier of agricultural products to international markets.
