Nearly $3 billion in cargo disrupted by largest rail stoppage in recent Canadian history

The recent rail stoppage, the largest in recent Canadian history, had a significant impact, disrupting nearly $3 billion worth of revenue-ton-miles for major carriers CN and CPKC.

With embargoes ensuring a safe and orderly shutdown beginning 10 days ahead of the stoppage, and most activity halted for four days, there was considerable impact on Canadian supply chains.

Fortunately, both companies quickly resumed operations, allowing them to recover weekly volumes just in time for the critical harvest season. Notably, the high-frequency rail container data within the Business Conditions Terminal picked-up the impact quickly. When shocks like this occur, the need for real-time insights becomes crucial. That’s where the Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab (BDL) comes in. Our tools can help you track business conditions and economic shocks as they unfold