Industry News

No Trains? Canadian Chemical Makers Nervous Over Potential Rail Shutdown

Aug. 21, 2024

A Canada-wide freight rail stoppage is planned starting Aug. 22, with more than 9,000 railway engineers, conductors and yard workers set to strike.

Amanda Joshi

A labor dispute at both Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) could leave chemical producers in the region in a lurch.

More than 9,000 railway engineers, conductors and yard workers are set to strike on Aug. 22, as talks between the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) and both CN and CPKC show no signs of resolution.

Bob Masterson, president and CEO of the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada, told the Toronto Sun in an interview that the work stoppage will be devastating to the country’s chemical producers.

Railways carry more than $1 billion worth of goods each day, according to the Railway Association of Canada; more than half of the country's exports travel by rail.

Of that, Masterson said the chemical industry ships about $100 billion in product annually — with an appreciable portion destined for export.

Because some chemicals can only be shipped by rail, the chemical industry will be significantly impacted by the supply chain disruption, including plant shutdowns.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said his department is closely monitoring the negotiations and any potential impacts on the flow of goods to the United States.

For more on this developing news, visit the CBC.

About the Author

Amanda Joshi | Managing Editor

Amanda Joshi has more than 18 years of experience in business-to-business publishing for both print and digital content. Before joining Chemical Processing, she worked with Manufacturing.net and Electrical Contracting Products. She’s a versatile, award-winning editor with experience in writing and editing technical content, executing marketing strategy, developing new products, attending industry events and developing customer relationships.

Amanda graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2001 with a B.A. in English and has been an English teacher. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and daughter, and their mini Aussiedoodle, Riley. In her rare spare time, she enjoys reading, tackling DIY projects, and horseback riding.