Canada's economic success is dependent on the fluidity of the country's supply chain to move Canadian commodities to market, especially in light of the challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, hosted the fall 2020 Commodity Supply Chain Table, which is a discussion forum for Canada's supply chain stakeholders that focuses on the resiliency, efficiency and effectiveness of Canada's freight rail-based transportation system.
This meeting included an interactive panel that provided participants an opportunity to share relevant information with the Minister, voice concerns, and identify opportunities and potential collaborative solutions on the performance challenges of their supply chains.
The Commodity Supply Chain Table also promoted collaborative discussions on:
- logistical and capacity issues
- domestic and international trade and market trends
- potential collaborative solutions to inefficiencies within the transportation system
- supply chain performance metrics, and
- responses to major rail transportation and supply chain-related events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic
As part of this meeting, Minister Garneau launched the next phase of consultations on Transport Canada's preliminary regulatory proposal to collect new data from class 1 freight railways, including enhanced service and performance information that would be made publicly available.
The consultation period begins today and written comments on the proposal will be accepted until February 26, 2021.
Improving the service and performance information collected for Canada's freight rail sector will help meet the Government of Canada's objective of enhanced transparency for the sector, further advancing the work started with the Transportation Modernization Act.
Having access to detailed service and performance information for Canada's rail sector will contribute to even more productive exchanges among supply chain members, as they work to move Canadian commodities to market in support of Canada's economic success and recovery from the impacts of the pandemic.
Minister Garneau took the opportunity of this meeting to recognize the critical work performed by Canada's supply chain workers, and extended his deepest thanks for ongoing coordinated efforts to continue moving Canadian commodities to market in the midst of the pandemic.
Quotes
"I am encouraged by the open and transparent discussions with Commodity Supply Chain Table participants on viable ways to help improve the fluidity of our supply chain, which will be critical to Canada's economic recovery. I also look forward to upcoming feedback on the proposed freight rail reporting requirements."
The Honourable Marc Garneau
Minister of Transport
Quick facts
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The Commodity Supply Chain Table is open to stakeholders involved in the production and shipment of freight (between Canadian provinces and internationally), freight transportation providers (including rail, ports, terminals, marine), and regulators of national and international movements of freight.
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The Transportation Modernization Act, which became law in 2018, enhanced transparency by introducing new requirements for class 1 freight railways to report on their Canadian operations.
