The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) on Jan. 8 released Rail Trends 2025—a rolling, 10-year review of financial and statistical results for the industry.
Highlights of Rail Trends 2025 include:
- “Canadian railways invested C$4.5 billion to improve the safety, efficiency, capacity, and fluidity of Canadian supply chains..
- “The safety performance of Canada’s railways was exceptional. The sector achieved its lowest freight accident rate on record, the passenger rail accident rate improved by 12.4%, and railways moved more than half a million carloads containing dangerous goods safely.
- “The rail sector directly employed 38,000 people across the country—the highest level since 2001. These jobs, of which the majority are unionized, provide average compensation of C$110,000, which is approximately 50% higher than the average full-time Canadian salary.
- “Passenger railways regained ridership—the number of rail commuters increased by 22.7% and intercity passengers increased by 8.6%, reducing congestion on public roads.
- “Taxes paid exceeded C$2.7 billion.”
The 33rd edition of Rail Trends (download below) is a compendium of Canadian rail data up to Dec. 31, 2024. Data is reported by RAC member companies, including Class I and short line freight railways, as well as tourist, intercity, and commuter passenger railways. Data for 2025 will be covered in next year’s report.
“The data shown in Rail Trends 2025 demonstrate that Canada’s railways are delivering measurable progress for the economy, supply chains, and the communities they serve,” said RAC President and CEO Eric Harvey. “Strong safety performance, sustained capital investment, and a growing, well-compensated workforce reflect an industry that is performing at a high level while planning for the long term. At the same time, growing passenger ridership and efficient freight operations highlight rail’s role in reducing congestion, supporting trade, and advancing sustainability. Rail Trends provides clear, data-driven evidence of the sector’s essential role in keeping Canada competitive and connected.”
