Railway carloadings, December 2024
Released: 2025-02-26
31.4 million metric tonnes
December 2024
-0.8% 
(12-month change)
Highlights
Canadian railways transported 31.4 million tonnes of freight in December, down slightly (-0.8%) from December 2023.
The total annual rail freight carried in Canada during 2024 was 377.1 million tonnes, up slightly (+0.5%) from 2023 levels.
To further explore the latest data and historical trends in an interactive format, please visit the "Monthly Railway Carloadings: Interactive Dashboard."
December 2024
Non-intermodal freight loadings in Canada (mainly commodities) decreased 0.4% from the same month in 2023, reaching 25.3 million tonnes in December 2024. Lower shipments of potash, fuel oils and crude petroleum and other oil seeds and nuts and other agricultural products were moderated by an increase in wheat as well as iron ores and concentrates.
Intermodal freight loadings in Canada (mainly containers) decreased 1.1% year over year to 2.8 million tonnes in December. This was the second straight month of year-over-year decline.
Chart 1
Railway carloadings, total tonnage
The year in review, 2024
The total annual rail freight carried in Canada during 2024 was 377.1 million tonnes, up slightly (+0.5%) from 2023.
Overall, rail freight volumes in 2024 were mostly consistent with 2023 totals, with growth in carloadings of some agricultural and food products. However, a decline was observed in some energy products, notably coal, as Canadian exports, mainly to Japan and other Asian destinations, of this commodity were down by almost 14% in 2024.
With higher crop yields on the Prairies during 2024, the annual freight traffic increased year over year, helping to push total cargo moved by Canadian railways closer to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level from 2019 (386.2 million tonnes).
Compared with 2023, non-intermodal freight loadings in Canada edged up 0.4% to 297.1 million tonnes in 2024, while intermodal traffic was up 2.8% to 35.0 million tonnes. Freight traffic coming from US connections remained similar to 2023, edging up 0.1% to 45.1 million tonnes in 2024.
Chart 2
Railway carloadings components, total tonnage, 2019 to 2024
Key commodity shifts in 2024
During 2024, growth in non-intermodal freight traffic (mainly commodities) was driven by considerable tonnage increases in some agricultural and food products.
Leading the way was canola, up 22.3% (or +1.8 million tonnes) from 2023 to 10.0 million tonnes in 2024. Similarly, loadings of other cereal grains increased 14.0% from 5.5 million tonnes in 2023 to 6.3 million tonnes in 2024, while wheat was up 2.8%, reaching 27.2 million tonnes.
Also up were some hydrocarbons, with fuel oils and crude petroleum increasing 7.5% in 2024 to 11.3 million tonnes, the first annual increase since 2019.
Chart 3
Railway carloadings, largest commodity differences, 2023 to 2024
Carloadings of coal declined 7.2% (-2.9 million tonnes) in 2024, the first yearly decrease since 2020.
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Note to readers
The Monthly Railway Carloadings Survey collects data on the number of rail cars, tonnage, units and 20-feet equivalent units from railway transporters operating in Canada that provide for-hire freight services.
Cargo loadings from Armstrong, Ontario, to the Atlantic Coast are classified to the eastern division (Eastern Canada), while loadings from Thunder Bay, Ontario, to the Pacific Coast are classified to the western division (Western Canada).
Survey data are revised on a monthly basis to reflect new information.
The data in this release are not seasonally adjusted.
The Transportation Data and Information Hub provides Canadians with online access to comprehensive statistics and indicators for the country's transportation sector.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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