Railway carloadings, March 2025
Released: 2025-05-22
33.3 million metric tonnes
March 2025
1.7% 
(12-month change)
Highlights
In March, the volume of cargo carried by Canadian railways reached 33.3 million tonnes, up 1.7% from March 2024. Higher carloadings of wheat, canola and coal largely contributed to the increase.
The overall freight volume in March 2025 was slightly above the five-year average of 32.8 million tonnes for the month. For the first quarter of 2025, the cumulative volume was 92.3 million tonnes, 1.0% below the same January-to-March period in 2024.
To further explore the latest data and historical trends in an interactive format, please visit the "Monthly Railway Carloadings: Interactive Dashboard."
Chart 1
Railway carloadings, total tonnage
The increase in total freight carried in March was driven by higher volumes of domestic loadings, both non-intermodal loadings (mainly commodities) and intermodal loadings (mainly containers).
Carloadings of wheat and canola rebound
Non-intermodal freight traffic in Canada was up 3.9% year over year to 26.5 million tonnes in March, led by large increases in carloadings of certain grains.
Wheat led the increases, with loadings rising in March by 12.9% (+333 000 tonnes) from March 2024, following a sharp year-over-year decrease of 14.6% in February. Meanwhile, loadings of canola grew 40.0% (+275 000 tonnes) from the March 2024 level, after a 17.6% drop in February.
These movements also coincided with year-over-year increases in Canada's exports of wheat (+21.7%) and canola (+47.9%) in March 2025, as reported in the International trade monthly interactive dashboard.
Also posting growth in March 2025 were loadings of coal, up 6.6% (+215 000 tonnes) year over year.
Chart 2
Railway carloadings, largest commodity differences, March 2024 to March 2025
Some commodities remain down
The above-noted growth in non-intermodal freight traffic was moderated by declines in loadings of other commodities.
In March 2025, loadings of iron ores and concentrates dipped by 3.2% (-153 000 tonnes) from March 2024, a third consecutive monthly year-over-year decline. Also, loadings of iron and steel, primary or semi-finished, decreased 19.8% (-90 000 tonnes) in March compared with the same month in 2024. Canadian international merchandise trade statistics reported exports of basic and semi-finished iron and steel products were down 9.0% year over year in March 2025, mostly on lower shipments to the United States, with the 25% tariff on US imports of Canadian steel and aluminium products in play.
Other decreases were reported for fuel oils and crude petroleum in March, with loadings decreasing 9.7% (-97 000 tonnes) from March 2024.
Intermodal traffic up
In March 2025, intermodal shipments—mainly containers—originating in Canada also contributed to the overall growth, increasing 6.4% year over year to 3.4 million tonnes, the highest level for the month of March in four years.
American freight traffic down
Freight loadings from US rail connections totalled 3.4 million tonnes in March 2025, a decline of 16.1%, or 655 000 tonnes, from the same month a year earlier. This was the second consecutive month of year-over-year decline and the lowest level recorded for the month of March since 2019.
Focus on Canada and the United States
Freight traffic from US rail connections fell 16.1% (or -655 000 tonnes) year over year to 3.4 million tonnes in March 2025.
Railway carloadings received from US connections represented on average 12.0% of total rail tonnage over 2023 and 2024. This proportion edged down to 11.3% in January 2025, then fell to 10.2% in February and 10.3% in March. Statistics Canada will continue to monitor potential impacts of tariffs on railway carloading statistics.
For more data and insights on areas touched by the socio-economic relationship between Canada and the United States, see the Focus on Canada and the United States webpage.
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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, featuring data from Statistics Canada, Transport Canada and partners, 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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