Message from the President – July 2024

July started with a first for me and for RAC VP Lora Smith: we headed west for the Calgary Stampede.  

 Over six days in one of Canada’s great rail cities, not only did we learn why the Stampede is called the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, we also saw firsthand why so many businesspeople converge on the event. We were able to tip our ten gallons, dust our boots, shake hands and speak with numerous government folks, policy-makers, and those seeking to influence them (not to mention several railroaders and their customers).  

 This year’s record-breaking edition of the Stampede was indeed a great show and a great showcase of how Western Canada does business – with dynamism, optimism, and candour.  

 Water services had been largely restored to Calgary just in time for the Stampede. But a drought-induced lack of water had already sparked questions about this year’s agricultural yields and concerns about wildfires throughout Alberta and the West.  

 Later in the month, railroaders from CN joined crews from across Alberta and B.C. in trying to save what could be saved in picturesque Jasper, Alberta. Our thoughts and best wishes go to everyone impacted by these fires, and most particularly those who lost homes and livelihoods as a result of them—including railroad employees and their families. 

 Jasper has long been a gem in Canada’s tourism crown, drawing more than 2 million visitors every year. This last month has been a trying one for the team at Rocky Mountaineer, a treasured railway that has been enthralling visitors to Jasper, Banff, and elsewhere for more than three decades. Read on for how they’re coping through this fire season. 

Rocky Mountaineer, VIA Rail, and others are proving daily that rail tourism in Canada is one of the best ways to see all that our country has to offer. This month’s newsletter focuses on the improvements they are making to their operations – with passenger experiences in mind. When rail companies succeed in attracting more riders to the communities they serve, local economies win big. 

Marc

P.S. CPKC and CN await the outcome of a ministerial referral to the Canada Industrial Relations Board about the maintenance of services in the event of a railway strike. You can read the latest on that, a new minister of labour, and the potential impacts on freight and passenger rail services in the government relations section below.