Despite Very Challenging Conditions, CN and its Supply Chain Partners Delivered Exceptionally During the First Quarter to Help Supply the World with Canadian Grain

MONTREAL, April 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) announced today that it moved 2.95 million metric tonnes (MMT) of western Canadian grain in March 2021, exceeding the previous record of 2.74 MMT set in 2020 and 19% ahead of the three-year average of 2.47 MMT. 

During the first quarter of 2021, and despite the extreme temperatures experienced over large parts of CN’s network in February, CN moved 8.2 MMT of Canadian grain, exceeding the previous first quarter record of 7.0 MMT established in 2017 and over 25% higher than the three-year average of 6.5 MMT.  So far, during the 2020-2021 crop year, CN has moved 22.7 MMT of Canadian grain. This is an increase of 19% compared to the previous year to-date record of 19.1 MMT established in the 2018-19 crop year.

Containerized grain shipments direct from western Canada are also on record pace, approaching 800,000 metric tonnes crop year to-date, in addition to the tonnage shipped from eastern Canada.

“Since the beginning of 2021, Canadian grain farmers, along with all of our supply chain partners, have worked closely with CN's railroaders to deliver record grain performance despite the pandemic and the very difficult operating conditions we faced in February. We are proud of these record results as we also respond to record demand for the movement of other commodities, such as potash, overseas and domestic intermodal, forest products, and propane. I want to personally thank CN railroaders and our agri-food supply chain partners for successfully delivering another record month of grain movement while keeping pace with higher than previous year’s overall traffic levels on CN's network”

- James Cairns, senior vice president, rail centric supply chain at CN.

CN's continued ability to deliver record volumes is largely due to investments made by the railway over the past few years. Since 2018, CN has invested over $10B in track, safety enhancing technologies, locomotives, and railcars, including the purchase of over 2,500 new high capacity grain hopper cars. To find out more about CN’s commitment to grain please visit www.cn.ca/grain.

About CN

CN is a world-class transportation leader and trade-enabler. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. As the only railroad connecting Canada’s Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through a 19,500-mile rail network, CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship.

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