The Port of Vancouver along with the Government of Canada have come to an agreement with the Canadian National Railway on Thursday, February 14, 2019 to improve rail infrastructure on the South shore of Vancouver Harbour. The project which will increase the rail track by double along a four-kilometre area is an endeavor to enhance the rail capacity and efficiency. No timeline has been advertised at this point. For more information, visit the Canadian National Railway website.

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By building a second track, CN will create more rail capacity, allow for a better flow of rail traffic in and out of the port, and improve efficiencies in the supply chain.

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The announcement comes amidst calls for improvements to grain railway capacity from grain exporters. While small improvements like this project to double track on the South Shore of Vancouver are beneficial, much larger investments in capacity across Canada will be necessary to meet the demand of exporters. Specifically, the Western Grain Elevator Association is calling for “financial consequences for poor rail performance” along with “[designating] grain transportation as an essential service during labour disputes” among others.  Visit this article from www.manitobacooperator.ca or the WGEA website for more details.