CALGARY, Jan. 14, 2019 /CNW/ - Canadian Pacific (TSX:CP)
(NYSE:CP) is proud of its service performance in Vancouver and takes great exception to being
included in a far-reaching Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA)
"investigation into possible freight rail service issues in the
Vancouver area."
"On behalf of our 13,000-strong CP family, including our more
than 500 employees who work in Vancouver, I take great exception to having
our company included in a formal investigation into rail service in
the Lower Mainland," said CP President and CEO Keith Creel. "We have not been made aware of any
formal complaints to the CTA relating to our service in
Vancouver, nor has the CTA been in
touch with us prior to launching this investigation. It is
irresponsible to institute an investigation without at minimum
reaching out to ask CP for information. We have always been
forthright and cooperative with the CTA. The fact is that CP has
achieved record-setting performance in Vancouver thanks to our talented team of
railroaders who work day and night to make it one of the best
performing terminals in North
America."
In November 2018, CP announced it
had broken its previous record for carloads of Western Canadian
grain and grain products shipped to the Port of Vancouver in a single month. In November,
more than 17,150 carloads of Canadian grain and grain products were
shipped on CP to Vancouver, a
total of 1.54 million metric tonnes (MMT). October 2018 was
the company's best month ever for shipping grain and grain
products, moving 2.64 MMT to all destinations, with the majority
transiting Vancouver. CP's
intermodal franchise has the lowest on-dock dwell and best on-time
performance at the Port of Vancouver. In terms of rail terminal
performance, railcar processing time at CP's Coquitlam yard improved by 21 percent in
December 2018 versus December 2017.
CP prides itself on being a transparent supply chain enabler and
is committed to working collaboratively with customers and the
government to address valid concerns. CP also works closely with
other Class 1 carriers to plan for issues and deal with them
proactively. Recently, CP worked closely with CN in Vancouver, including by assembling blocks of
cars for the CN to simplify last mile operations, help ease
congestion, and expedite recovery. To further support recovery, CP
implemented embargos and permits to help manage traffic into
congested consignees.
"Are we perfect 100 percent of the time? No," said Creel. "When
we are not performing to the requisite level of service, I will be
the first to step up and acknowledge it. The flip side of that coin
is: when we are subject to unsubstantiated action, I will be the
first to step up and defend the men and women who make this
operation run."
CP's Vancouver operations are
critical to its overall network and to the broader North American
economy. CP's operation remains fluid through Vancouver.
"CP will work with the CTA to better understand its concerns and
will fully cooperate in the investigation as appropriate. In
the meantime, CP will continue to focus our attention and build on
our success of delivering freight safely and efficiently for our
customers during this critical winter period," concluded Creel.
About Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the
United States with direct links to major ports on the west
and east coasts. CP provides North American customers a competitive
rail service with access to key markets in every corner of the
globe. CP is growing with its customers, offering a suite of
freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply
chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail advantages of CP.
CP-IR
SOURCE Canadian Pacific