Despite major setbacks earlier in the shipping season and COVID-19, Canada’s railways are setting grain shipping records. Year-to-date movement to export terminals is two per cent ahead of last crop year’s (2018-19) pace, which ended with a record of 34.9 million tonnes shipped. Drop in demand for other commodities moving by rail helped improve fluidity for grain as in March, Canada’s merchandise exports fell 4.7 per cent and imports declined 3.5 per cent, said Statistics Canada. Grain shipments to the Port of Thunder Bay are up 16 per cent year to date and 12 per cent ahead of the three-year average.
