Dear Member,
Please find below a summary of highlights from today’s meeting with Transport Canada and other stakeholders on the status of supply chain operations following the flooding that occured in the Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley regions last week:
Rail
- Both CN and CP are preparing for a resumption of service over the next few days.
- CP will operate a handful of trains into Vancouver tomorrow morning (grain), mainly to test the stability of the track.
- This will be followed by a wave of westbound trains (both CN and CP) tomorrow afternoon.
- Two way-traffic will resume as of Wednesday (CN west / CP east)
- The first 48 to 60 hours of operations will be very slow, but there is an expectation that velocity will ramp up after about five days.
Highway
- Highway 3 has been closed again. Experts are being helicoptered into the area to provide an assessment.
- The BC Ministry of Transportation is working towards a restricted opening of Highway 1, but flood waters still need to recede.
- Truck movements between Alberta and BC via the US are increasing, but there has been some confusion at the border regarding vaccination / testing policies for drivers.
Marine
- The Port of Vancouver continues to see increased pressure on anchorage demand (currently 2 available anchorages at English Bay, 11 at Southern Gulf Islands).
- Five ships have been diverted to Prince Rupert in an effort to expedite the movement of essential goods. Nanaimo is also being looked at as an option for additional capacity.
- Transport Canada is keeping an eye on the availability of marine bunker fuel (current supply is sufficient but this could change in the future).
The Federation will be participating in daily teleconference calls with Transport Canada, the BC Ministry of Transportation, representatives from the rail and trucking sectors and other stakeholders as part of a Supply Chain Resumption Working Group that was established by the Minister of Transport earlier in the week. We will be sure to provide members with regular updates on this group’s discussions and on other developments as they arise.
Sincerely,
Karen Kancens
Vice President