TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA — The Canadian National Railway (CN) plans to invest approximately C$320 million in Ontario in 2019 to expand and strengthen the company’s rail network across the province.
“Following a record capital program in 2018, CN has been able to take on more traffic from different commodity sectors based on contracts with our customers,” said Doug MacDonald, vice-president of CN’s Eastern region. “This year, we are continuing to invest to boost capacity and network resiliency and to meet growing traffic on our corridors across Ontario.”
The Ontario investments are part of CN’s 2019 record C$3.9 billion capital investment focused on enabling growth from all commodity segments, including consumer goods, grain, agricultural, forest, and energy products. Over two years, CN will have made a C$7.4 billion capital investment.
“We welcome CN’s investment in important railway infrastructure across Ontario,” said Marco Mendicino, member of Parliament for Eglinton–Lawrence. “These annual investments improve safety and operating efficiency and boost economic output. Focusing on strategic assets will support Canada’s trade network and bring Canadian goods to market more efficiently.”
CN is currently deploying safety technologies across its network, such as Autonomous Track Inspection Program, Distributed Air Cars, and Automated Inspection Portals. CN noted these implementations combined with its investments in locomotives, capacity, infrastructure, and train crews, will support the safe and efficient movement for customers’ goods to their end markets.
“With its robust carrying capacity, solid safety record, and low environmental impact, rail infrastructure plays a critical role in Ontario's economy,” Rocco Rossi, president and chief executive officer of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “CN is a respected member of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and, for 100 years, has been a leading North American transportation and logistics company. Today’s investment will not only renew and strengthen our province’s rail network, it will also help move goods to market faster to meet current and future demands.”
Planned expansion projects include:
- Investments in a satellite intermodal facility near CN’s Brampton intermodal terminal to provide additional capacity;
- Intermodal equipment and infrastructure at CN’s Brampton Intermodal Terminal to serve growing businesses; and,
- Facility improvements at CN’s Toronto auto compound.
Maintenance program highlights include:
- Replacement of more than 75 miles of rail;
- Installation of more than 325,000 new railroad ties;
- Rebuilds of 94 road crossing surfaces; and,
- Maintenance work on bridges, culverts, signal systems, and other track infrastructure.
CN’s Ontario rail network stretches across the province, and the GTHA is home to MacMillan Yard, CN’s largest rail car classification facility, and Brampton Intermodal Terminal, CN’s largest intermodal facility. The Ontario network reaches other terminals across Canada’s industrial heartland, from Thunder Bay to Sarnia.
