(Reuters circulated the following on September 17.)
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Canadian National Railway and a group of grain shippers have agreed to try to resolve a dispute over rail cars with help from a government-appointed mediator, the Canadian Wheat Board said on Monday.
Earlier this month, five small Canadian grain shippers and the Canadian Wheat Board filed service complaints against CN Rail with Canada’s transportation regulator over how the railway allocates rail cars.
The shippers say CN’s advance booking programs unfairly favor large grain companies with multiple elevators, who are able to load 100-car trains.
CN has postponed awarding rail cars under the programs, the CWB said.
In July, the Canadian Transportation Agency ruled in favor of small shippers in a similar complaint against CN.
The railway had said it believed it complied with the regulator’s ruling.
If mediation fails, the regulator will have 120 days to review the complaints and issue a ruling.