Rail Service Review
Transport Canada is proceeding with its review of rail service across Canada based on the final terms of reference it issued in August. You may access the Rail Service Review terms of reference on the Transport Canada website. Port Metro Vancouver fully supports this review and is taking an active role in the process. Rail service is critically important to the performance of the supply chain and the continued growth and success of the Port as a North American trade gateway and economic generator. Rail is also a key component of our ongoing supply chain initiative aimed at enhancing service reliability and accountability among all Port service providers. The goal of Port Metro Vancouver’s submission will be to provide the federal government with an independent fact-based examination of rail service that focuses on recommendations to improve the overall performance of the supply chain servicing the Port’s customers. The quality of the Port’s submission will depend, in large part, upon the data and information that other organizations contribute. The Port’s submission will document a composite port supply chain perspective consisting of common themes and not report individual shipper concerns. If your organization is interested in participating in Port Metro Vancouver’s submission, please contact us at Customer Service. All input will be kept confidential.
Rail Connections
Excellent rail connections play a key role in the flow of cargo through Port Metro Vancouver to and from Canadian and US markets. Three Class I railways service Port terminals: CN Rail (CN) and Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) — both transcontinental railways — and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway (BNSF). Local railway service is provided by Southern Railway of British Columbia (SRY), a transporter of freight in British Columbia's Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.
Port Metro Vancouver offers extensive scheduled rail service. CN and CP service the on-dock rail facilities at the Port's container and cargo terminals. Loading and unloading on-dock saves transit time with less handling, reducing potential damage and costs for the shipper. CN and CP have a co-production agreement for key sections of track to improve the fluidity of rail operations over existing infrastructure in the Metro Vancouver area.
CN and CP offer double-stack intermodal service across Canada, including Toronto and Montreal, plus direct service to Chicago and other North American markets. Both railways have excellent connections with major US railways.
Supply Chain Initiatives
As a component of Port Metro Vancouver’s three-pronged Supply Chain Strategy, the Port plans to invest and participate in the gateway rail network.
Please visit Supply Chain Initiatives to learn more about the Roberts Bank Rail Corridor, the North Shore Trade Area Study and the South Shore Trade Area Study.