CANADA: CPKC moved 30.66 million metric tonnes of Canadian grain and grain products during the 2025–2026 crop year, surpassing its previous annual high by approximately 72,500 tonnes.

CPKC Canadian Grain Record Reaches 30.66M Tonnes
Photo: www.cpkcr.com

CPKC grain volume rises above recent averages

CPKC announced the annual result on August 4, 2026. The previous record was set in the 2020–2021 crop year.

The 30.66 million-tonne total was 11% higher than in 2024–2025. It also exceeded the three-year average by 16% and the five-year average by 20%.

The record pace extended across much of the calendar year. CPKC set Canadian grain transportation records in both the first and second quarters of 2026, alongside monthly highs in January, February, April, May and June.

For most Canadian field crops, the crop year runs from August 1 to July 31, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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Longer trains support higher grain throughput

CPKC linked the higher volume to coordinated operations across the railway, grain elevators and terminal operators. Customers have invested in elevators capable of handling 8,500-foot trains, while the railway has continued spending on its network, assets and operations.

An 8,500-foot formation is approximately 2.6 kilometres long. CPKC said the combination of longer-train infrastructure and railway investment is enabling more efficient train operations and stronger end-to-end performance across the grain supply chain.

CPKC outlines capacity for the 2026–2027 crop year

The railway published its 2026–2027 Grain Service Outlook Report on July 31. The plan provides capacity to move an average of up to 700,000 metric tonnes of Canadian agricultural products per week while the Port of Thunder Bay is open. During the winter closure, planned capacity falls to up to 540,000 tonnes per week.

That capacity is a service plan rather than a guaranteed shipment forecast. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada currently expects production of principal field crops to decline 6% year on year in 2026–2027, while remaining 7% above the five-year average. The department said final production will remain dependent on weather through the rest of the summer.

CPKC said it intends to use expanded route options and market access across its North American network to serve Canadian grain shippers in the new crop year.

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