Re: 'Bob Zimmer: Railway inaction threatens grain farmers,' March 15, 2018
As we witness a new chief executive of CN Rail apologize for poor service in all sectors, we need not look too far to uncover some basic reasons for poor service to agricultural producers, and in particular BC Peace Region farmers.
With the sale of the remaining bits of the Canadian Wheat Board by the previous federal government, a very large customer of the railways was split up, removing any scale that allowed that customer to deal more effectively with a vendor that was not providing service.
Along with the sale of the CWB came expropriation of over 3,300 rail cars. A move that many would question. Are farmers better off because of the loss of the CWB and the facilities and railcars that went along with it? Ideological decisions do matter and there are consequences.
Secondly, the giveaway of BC Rail, which owned grain cars that serviced BC Peace Region farmers by allowing grain to move south to Vancouver in the event of a problem with easterly shipments, or if prices at those markets were better. As a provincially-controlled entity, the corporation could be influenced to move grain to allow deliveries to occur in a timely manner. Again, gone due to an ideological decision.
Both of these events will increase costs and impact on profits for Peace Region ag producers. Customer service was not the focus of either decision, as voices louder than those of farmers were listened to. The results speak for themselves as grain sits in bins.
— Bob Fedderly, Charlie Lake
