The Harper government has announced that it us fining
Canadian Pacific $100,000 and Canadian National $50,000 for failing to meet
legislated weekly minimums for hauling Prairie grains to market.
Transport Canada said it continues to review the remaining
fall data on grain volumes to ensure the railways adhered to the volume
requirements.
The department said in September it would fine the
railways up to $100,000 per week at the minister's discretion. It issued
notices of violation Dec. 12.
At the time, there was outrage on the Prairies because the
fines had quietly undergone amendment from $100,000 a day to $100,000 a week.
Montreal-based CN said it will pay the lower $50,000 per
week administrative monetary penalty and continue to focus on efficiently
moving Western Canadian grain to markets.
"CN is heartened that the Transport Canada
enforcement officer's investigation appropriately took into account factors
beyond CN's control and also reflected the important role that others play in
the grain supply chain," spokesman Mark Hallman said.
He said the railway continues to move record grain
shipments from the 2014/2015 crop year.
By the end of 2014, it had 1,500 orders on its wait list,
the equivalent of about three days of shipments.
