CN Rail publishes 2025 to 2026 grain plan

Executive Summary

• Canadian National Railway (CN) released its 2025‑2026 grain plan, projecting movement of 27.0–29.5 MMT of grain and processed grain products in the upcoming crop year.
• The plan introduces a new “empty hopper car” distribution model that ships cars directly from Vancouver rather than Prairie hubs, enhancing visibility for customers.
• CN will provide weekly operational dashboards and a Western Canadian Grain Report to give stakeholders real‑time updates on car orders, supply‑chain conditions, and system fluidity.

Key Details

• Projected Volume: 27.0 MMT to 29.5 MMT of grain/processed grain for the 2025‑2026 crop year (up from prior records).
• Current Year Performance: Record grain volume moved in the most recent crop year, with an estimated 31 MMT projected for 2024‑2025—about 1 MMT above the previous record.
• Empty Hopper Car Distribution Change: Cars will now be dispatched as they leave Vancouver ports, rather than being staged at Prairie rail hubs, to improve planning and visibility.
• Customer Visibility Enhancements: Introduction of a rail shipment tracking tool giving customers real‑time tracking of their shipments.
• Transparency Measures: Weekly updates via the Western Canadian Grain Report and operational dashboards covering car orders, supply‑chain conditions, and system fluidity.
• Strategic Goal: Ensure sufficient resources to meet demand under normal operating conditions and strengthen Canada’s agricultural trade links domestically and internationally.

Notable Quotes

“Our grain plan reflects CN's unwavering commitment to Canadian agriculture and the global competitiveness of our farmers and grain handlers…we’ve taken a comprehensive, end‑to‑end view of the supply chain by investing where it matters most, collaborating with partners and ensuring we have the people, equipment and processes in place to move the new crop.” – Tracy Robinson, President & CEO, CN