CN
CN recently reported that Taschereau Yard became its final Greater Montreal Area (GMA) terminal to reach one year “injury free.” In September, Taschereau joined the other three—Rivières-des-Prairies, Coteau, and St. Lambert—which celebrated their milestones earlier this year.
GMA teams each morning review the previous day’s successes and challenges, sharing lessons learned during safety briefings, according to the Canadian Class I railroad, which noted that monthly safety challenges also keep teams “engaged and motivated, encouraging friendly competition while reinforcing safe work habits across terminals.”
According to CN, a dedicated Health and Safety Committee provides monthly themes addressing potential issues. For example, if slips and falls are a concern, prevention efforts ramp up to ensure the topic is well covered in upcoming months, the railroad reported.
Additionally, “[r]egular safety summits, attended by both union-represented and management employees, break down barriers and encourage frank conversation,” CN said. “Employees share stories about near-misses so others can learn. Support from the training team in the field provides insight and another layer of collaboration.”
“Safety leadership is something we all share,” GMA General Superintendent François Boucher said. “There’s a real willingness to talk openly about safety at all levels, stay focused, and be transparent about issues. Everyone is invested in working safely together.”
“I’ve been part of many safety programs, and the GMA seems to have tapped into what works,” said Conductor Nelson Beveridge (pictured above, right), who has 52 years of service. “We keep safety at the forefront, follow rules to the letter, and look out for one another so we all go home safely.”
Separately, CN in October broke its all-time record for grain shipped in a single month.
CPKC
G3 Canada Limited and Bartlett Grain Company LLC have earned Elevator of the Year awards for the 2024-2025 crop year from CPKC. The awards, granted annually to one Canadian and one U.S. facility, highlight top performance in safety and efficiency among grain industry partners, according to the railroad, which announced the honorees on Nov. 17.
The G3 Canada Limited elevator in Colonsay, Saskatchewan, and the Bartlett Grain Company elevator in Jacksonville, Ill., “demonstrated outstanding achievement in railcar loading processes and safety practices, contributing significantly to efficient grain movement across North America and setting positive examples within the agriculture business community,” CPKC reported. G3 Canada Limited has earned the Grain Elevator of the Year award multiple times, most recently for the 2021-2022 crop year (before Canadian Pacific merged with Kansas City Southern in 2023 to form CPKC); it is the first award for Bartlett Grain Company.
“Receiving this award is a testament to the hard work and dedication shown by these grain facilities,” said Jonathan Wahba, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Intermodal, Automotive, and Bulk at CPKC. “Their commitment to safety and operational excellence is important to the entire supply chain and agricultural sector.”
“Winning CPKC Elevator of the Year for the fourth time in the past seven years is a powerful recognition of G3’s commitment to transforming grain movement in Canada,” G3 Canada Limited CEO Don Chapman said. “This award reflects the strength of our network, the dedication of our people, and our shared priority with CPKC to operate safely and reliably. We thank CPKC for this acknowledgement and their continued partnership in driving excellence across Canada’s grain supply chain.”
“We are honored to have Jacksonville recognized as a CPKC Elevator of the Year,” Bartlett Grain Company President Joe Griffith said. “I’d like to thank our Jacksonville team and customers for their support and extend our sincere gratitude for the service and partnership with CPKC. Together, our teams have operated safely and efficiently to connect Jacksonville producers with robust end user customer markets.”
Cargill Elva (Canada) and Elbow Lake Co-op Grain (U.S.) received CPKC’s Grain Elevator of the Year awards for the 2023-2024 crop year. Elbow Lake Co-op Grain (U.S.) also won for the 2022-2023 crop year, along with Viterra Weyburn (Canada).
