Grainswest - Fall 2026

Fall 2026 Grains West 50 AGAINST GRAIN THE A pproximately a third of cargo handled by the Port of Vancou- ver, including most Prairie grain exports, crosses the Second Narrows Rail Bridge owned by Canadian Nation- al Railway. A vertical-lift bridge, it is raised for boat traffic, which regularly halts rail passage. As port capacity in- creases, this pinch point poses greater concern. The federal government has launched its Port of Vancouver Gate- way Strategy in July to strengthen export infrastructure and double non- U.S. exports by 2035. Grain Growers of Canada applauds this, but has called for “investments in rail, including the Second Narrows rail crossing” that match the expansion of port capacity on the West Coast. Through vessel management and scheduling as well as improvement of adjacent infrastructure, CN and the Port have collaborated to accommo- date this limitation and improve safety for trains and vessels that traverse Bur- rard Inlet. “This includes ongoing collab- oration … and data sharing to identify opportunities to optimize movements through this critical trade corridor,” said Ashley Michnowski, a CN spokesperson. The Port’s Active Vessel Traffic Management program and centralized scheduling system was launched in 2021, which has increased the weekly number of train crossings. This fall, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority in partnership with the City of Burnaby and CN, is expected to complete the Holdom Overpass Project. This parcel CN and Port of Vancouver commit to critical rail corridor upgrades of road and rail upgrades will further enhance rail capacity and efficiency. CN has also undertaken multiple infrastructure projects further out from the Port and has committed to pursue upgrades in the North Shore corridor. This may include rail infra- structure projects such as track and switching upgrades to increase speed of trains. “Investments … could include strengthening and upgrading the Sec- ond Narrows Rail Bridge through struc- tural enhancements, control system upgrades, backup operating systems and marine vessel protection meas- ures,” said Michnowski. “These would help build additional capacity and resil- ience into a critical corridor connecting Canadian exporters, including grain producers, to global markets.” The Second Narrows Rail Bridge is a critical pinch point for grain transportation from Prairie to port. Multiple initiatives continue tomaximize the efficiency of the corridor. Photo:Shutterstock