Railway carloadings, April 2022

Released: 2022-06-21

Highlights

In April 2022, the volume of cargo carried by Canadian railways was 31.3 million tonnes, edging down 1.2% from April 2021 and marking the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year decline.

Overall freight volume remained near the five-year monthly average of 31.4 million tonnes, with increases in loadings of energy products offsetting the ongoing steep declines in grain shipments.

To further explore current and historical data in an interactive format, please visit the Monthly Railway Carloadings: Interactive Dashboard.

Chart 1 
Railway carloadings, total tonnage

April's year-over-year overall decline was entirely driven by non-intermodal loadings (mainly commodities), since intermodal loadings (mainly containers) and freight traffic from connections with American railways both rose.

Grains continue to slide

Non-intermodal operations in Canada fell 4.6% year over year to 24.0 million tonnes in April, resulting from a large tonnage drop in agricultural and foods products—notably grain.

Grain shipments have been declining since early 2021 because of a depletion of stocks after a record crop year in 2020, followed by a lower harvest caused by drought conditions in summer 2021. Indeed, wheat loadings have fallen year over year for 12 straight months, slumping by 49.6% (-1 394 000 tonnes) in April, after a similar decline in March (-57.7%).

Likewise, other cereal grains posted a year-over-year decline for a seventh consecutive month, down 61.0% (-544 000 tonnes) in April, following large drops in March (-58.6%) and February (-53.1%). Loadings of canola fell for the 14th consecutive month, dropping a further 57.5% (-522 000 tonnes) in April, compared with the same month in 2021.

In addition, loadings of fresh, chilled or dried vegetables dropped 45.6% (-203 000 tonnes) compared with April 2021, their 13th month of year-over-year decline.

Finally, loadings of lumber, which dipped 16.6% (-152 000 tonnes) year over year in April, posted their 10th straight month of such declines.

These decreases mirror the April report on Canadian international merchandise trade, as exports of farm, fishing and intermediate food products fell an average of over 8% year over year each month so far in 2022.

Chart 2 
Railway carloadings, largest commodity differences, April 2021 to April 2022

Energy loadings remain strong

Partly offsetting the above-noted declines were increases in other commodities, in particular certain energy commodities, reflecting a rise in fuel consumption and industrial production. Loadings of coal led the way, rising sharply by 38.4% (+1 025 000 tonnes) from April 2021, the third consecutive month of year-over-year increases.

Loadings of iron ores and concentrates―feedstock for the production of steel—were up year over year in April by 7.9% (+359 000 tonnes), following growth of 12.6% in March. Also, loadings of primary or semi-finished iron and steel rose year over year for the 14th time in 15 months. April's advanced manufacturing sales point to higher sales in the primary metal industries.

Other refined petroleum and coal products (e.g., propane, butane) were up 79.6% (+297 000 tonnes) in April, compared with the same month a year earlier, the third month of sharp growth. As well, the easing of travel restrictions helped boost loadings of gasoline and aviation turbine fuel, which grew year over year for the 13th consecutive month, up 74.5% (+90 000 tonnes) in April.

Finally, loadings of sulphur also posted a year-over-year increase for a third consecutive month, rising 26.4% (+78 000 tonnes) from April 2021, the largest increase in three months.

Intermodal traffic picks up again

In April 2022, intermodal shipments—mainly containers—originating in Canada increased for the first time after seven consecutive months of year-over-year declines. Total tonnage was up 3.5% to 3.3 million tonnes from the same month a year earlier.

Container volume reached its highest tonnage ever for April, benefiting from stronger demand, as Canada's trade in consumer goods was up sharply year over year for both exports and imports, and global events started to free up the supply of containers.

American freight hits another high

Freight loadings arriving from the United States reached another record level in April, rising by 20.2% year over year to 4.1 million tonnes. This was the 13th consecutive month of year-over-year growth and the highest volume ever recorded for the month of April.

Contact information

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