CN releases Grain Plan with focus on transparency, innovation

CN has released its 2025–2026 Grain Plan, outlining how it plans to meet growing demand through improved supply chain coordination, targeted infrastructure investments and a continued focus on collaboration.

The railway moved a record volume of grain to domestic and international markets during the last crop year. Current projections suggest Western Canadian movement for 2024–25 will reach roughly 31 million metric tonnes, about one million tonnes more than the previous record.

“Our Grain Plan reflects CN’s unwavering commitment to Canadian agriculture and the global competitiveness of our farmers and grain handlers,” said CN president and CEO Tracy Robinson. “We’ve taken a comprehensive, end-to-end view of the supply chain by investing where it matters most, collaborating with partners and ensuring we have the people, equipment and processes in place to move the new crop.”

Highlights from the new plan include the capacity to move between 27.0 and 29.5 million metric tonnes of grain and processed grain products under normal conditions. CN also plans to change how it distributes empty hopper cars from West Coast ports, shifting distribution to the point of departure in Vancouver to improve visibility and customer planning.

The company says enhanced transparency will come through weekly reporting via its Western Canadian Grain Report and operational dashboards, offering stakeholders updates on car orders, system fluidity and supply chain conditions.

CN says the plan underscores its long-standing support for Canadian agriculture and its role in connecting farmers to global markets.