The Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA) applauds Minister Garneau’s decision to accept key amendments to Canada's Bill C-49, the Transportation Modernization Act. The amendments will help balance the relationship between grain shipper and railway and will result in more reliable rail service for the grain supply chain.
“Grain shippers, farmers, end-users and the Canadians they employ, will all benefit from the Government’s proposed amendments,” says Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the WGEA. “The government’s decision to table these amendments will ensure that the supply chain is positioned to take advantage of growing demand for grain around the world, helping to grow the rural economy across the Prairies.”
Rail service is essential to get grain off the Prairies to customers and ports across North America. Grain shippers currently have limited tools to hold railways to account when they do not deliver rail cars that grain shippers order. A lack of competition and accountability has resulted in abysmal rail service two of the last four years, negatively impacting shippers, farmers and end-users around the world.
“This will give shippers the tools they need to hold railways to account, tools that have been missing for decades,” adds Sobkowich. “It is essential that Parliament move quickly to accept the amendments and pass C-49 so that grain shippers can start to use the much-needed tools it contains.”
Minister Garneau has tabled a motion in Parliament amending Bill C-49. His amendments build on the targeted amendments made by the Senate and will make the tools contained in Bill C-49 more meaningful for shippers. In particular, the amendments being made to Long Haul Interswitching (LHI) will mean more grain elevators can access this important tool that will bring more competition and better service to grain shippers.
