Canadian railways total freight volume dropped 1.2% April

June 23, 2022

Statistics Canada reports that the volume of cargo carried by Canadian railways was 31.3 million tonnes in April 2022, edging down 1.2% from April 2021 and marking the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year decline.

The Federal Agency notes that overall freight volume remained near the five-year monthly average of 31.4 million tonnes, with increases in loadings of energy products offsetting the ongoing steep declines in grain shipments.

Non-intermodal operations in Canada fell 4.6% year over year to 24.0 million tonnes in April, resulting from a large tonnage drop in agricultural and foods products-notably grain.

Intermodal shipments-mainly containers-originating in Canada increased for the first time after seven consecutive months of year-over-year declines. Total tonnage was up 3.5% to 3.3 million tonnes from the same month a year earlier.

Freight loadings arriving from the United States reached another record level in April, rising by 20.2% year over year to 4.1 million tonnes. This was the 13th consecutive month of year-over-year growth and the highest volume ever recorded for the month of April.