Citing post-Labour Day pains at the West Coast, Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) plans to appeal a $50,000 federal fine over the company’s Prairie grain handle.
Transport Canada said last week it had issued notices of violation and administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) of $50,000 each against CP and Canadian National Railway (CN) for falling short of federally-mandated weekly minimum grain tonnage during the week of Sept. 7 to 13.
Martin Cej, CP’s assistant vice-president for public affairs, said Saturday the Calgary-based company disputes the AMP and contends the grain tonnage shortfall that week was “the result of broader supply chain issues, specifically the Labour Day holiday shutdown at the Port of Vancouver the week before.”
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The shutdown “contributed to delays in the movement, loading and shipping of railcars on CP,” he said via email.
Citing business confidentiality, Transport Canada wouldn’t say by how much CP and CN fell short of the 536,250-tonne-per-week minimum during the period in question.
CN is also facing a separate $50,000 AMP over its grain handle during the week of July 28 to Aug. 3. The federal minimum at the time was 500,000 tonnes per railway per week, rising to 536,250 tonnes Aug. 1. — AGCanada.com Network
