CPKC Moves Record 30.66 Million Tonnes of Canadian Grain as Export Volumes Rise 11%

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A record grain year is measured not only in what leaves the field, but in how reliably it reaches a port, processor or buyer. Canadian Pacific Kansas City says it moved 30.66 million metric tonnes of Canadian grain and grain products during the 2025–2026 crop year, setting a company record and surpassing its previous high from 2020–2021.

The result was 11% above the prior crop year and well ahead of recent averages, reflecting a powerful combination of a large harvest, sustained shipping demand and expanded rail and elevator capacity. Yet the headline requires care: the 11% gain refers to CPKC’s transported volume, not total Canadian grain exports. The distinction matters because it shows how one railway captured more traffic while the broader export picture remained strong but comparatively steady.

A New Record With a Narrow but Meaningful Margin

CPKC’s 30.66-million-tonne result edged past the railway’s previous annual record by roughly 72,500 tonnes. That is a relatively narrow margin against a base exceeding 30 million tonnes, but it carries considerable operational weight. Grain must move through a linked chain of farm deliveries, country elevators, rail terminals and port facilities. A disruption at any point can slow the entire system, so sustaining record volume across a full crop year says more than a single exceptional week ever could.

The comparison with recent performance makes the result more significant. CPKC reported that its 2025–2026 volume was 11% higher than the previous crop year, 16% above its three-year average and 20% above its five-year average. The crop year for most Canadian field crops runs from August 1 through July 31, meaning the record covered every season—from the fall harvest rush through winter restrictions and the final summer shipping push. It was an annual test of consistency rather than a short-lived surge.

The 11% Increase Needs Careful Interpretation

The 11% figure in the headline is best understood as growth in grain and grain products carried on CPKC’s network. It should not be read as proof that Canada’s total grain exports rose by exactly the same amount. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s July outlook said exports of all principal field crops in 2025–2026 were virtually unchanged from the previous year, although they remained 13% above the five-year average. Different data sets cover different commodities, products, transportation channels and reporting periods.

That distinction does not weaken CPKC’s achievement. Instead, it suggests the railway moved a larger share of available traffic, benefited from stronger routing patterns or handled more grain products within its own franchise. It also shows why transportation statistics and trade statistics cannot be treated as interchangeable. A tonne may travel by rail before being processed domestically, transferred between facilities or exported through a port. For farmers and shippers, the practical question is whether grain can move when buyers want it moved—and CPKC’s numbers indicate unusually strong throughput.

The Record Was Built Month by Month

The annual record was built through repeated monthly highs rather than one late-season burst. CPKC set Canadian grain transportation records in both the first and second quarters of 2026, along with monthly records in January, February, April, May and June. January reached 2.395 million tonnes and 24,688 carloads, while February followed with 2.232 million tonnes and 23,088 carloads. Those back-to-back winter records were especially notable because cold weather can force railways to shorten trains and reduce speeds.

Momentum continued into spring and early summer. CPKC moved 2.9 million tonnes in May, accompanied by a record 30,324 carloads for that month, and another 2.8 million tonnes in June. This pattern matters because grain logistics reward steady flow. Elevators need cars arriving on schedule, terminals need enough labour and vessel capacity, and railways need equipment cycling back quickly. Several strong months in succession reduce the risk that a record is merely the product of congestion being cleared after earlier delays.

An Exceptional Harvest Created More Grain to Move

The railway’s record coincided with an exceptional Canadian harvest. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada estimated production of all principal field crops at 107.1 million tonnes for 2025–2026, up from about 97.2 million tonnes a year earlier. Within that total, grains and oilseeds production was estimated at 98.4 million tonnes. All-wheat production reached nearly 40 million tonnes, compared with approximately 35.9 million tonnes in 2024–2025. More grain on farms and in elevators created both opportunity and pressure for the transportation system.

A larger crop does not automatically produce a rail record. Grain still has to be sold, delivered, loaded, routed and unloaded at a pace the network can absorb. The 2025 harvest also left Canada with larger inventories: AAFC projected carry-out stocks for all principal field crops at 16.8 million tonnes, 46% higher year over year. That means the system was moving record volumes while substantial supplies remained available. For prairie communities, the difference between a large crop and a successful crop year often comes down to whether those tonnes can find timely market access.

Export Demand Extended Across Several Crops

Canadian export demand remained broad enough to keep the grain pipeline active. AAFC forecast all-wheat exports at 29 million tonnes for 2025–2026, including 23.4 million tonnes of wheat excluding durum and 5.6 million tonnes of durum. Through the end of June, licensed-system durum exports had reached 5.3 million tonnes. Major destinations included Algeria, Italy, Morocco, the United States and Japan, illustrating how Canadian grain moves into very different food markets—from pasta production in the Mediterranean region to milling demand across Asia and North America.

Other crops added complexity to the transportation task. Canola exports were forecast at 8.5 million tonnes, dry pea exports at 2.7 million tonnes and lentil exports at 2.3 million tonnes. Each commodity has its own buyers, seasonal patterns and handling requirements, but they often compete for rail cars, elevator space and port capacity. CPKC’s record therefore reflects more than wheat alone. It represents a mixed flow of grain and grain products moving through a network that must balance multiple customers and destinations at once.

Larger Trains and New Hopper Cars Increased Capacity

CPKC credits part of the improvement to investments made by both the railway and its customers. Grain companies have expanded or upgraded elevators capable of loading 8,500-foot trains, allowing more product to move in a single cycle. CPKC has also invested more than $500 million in 5,900 Canadian-made high-capacity hopper cars. The company says about 90% of its expanded grain hopper fleet is now high capacity, reducing the number of older, lower-volume cars in regular service.

The equipment gains become larger when combined with longer trains. According to CPKC’s latest grain outlook, its newer hopper cars are shorter, carry more volume and support more weight than traditional government hopper cars. Paired with the railway’s 8,500-foot High Efficiency Product model, they can provide more than 44% additional volume capacity per grain unit train. That does not remove every bottleneck, but it changes the economics of each departure. A train crew, locomotive set and track slot can move substantially more grain, while faster loading and unloading helps the same equipment return for another trip.

Weather and Port Capacity Remain Major Constraints

Even a record year exposed the limits of the system. CPKC’s 2026–2027 outlook describes seasonal capacity ranging from as much as 700,000 tonnes per week when the Port of Thunder Bay is operating to approximately 540,000 tonnes during the winter period when that route is closed. The difference shows how Canadian grain logistics depend on geography. Vancouver, Thunder Bay, Atlantic gateways and cross-border routes do not offer identical capacity in every month, so traffic must be redistributed as weather and port access change.

The railway also reported 50 days of safety-related train-length and speed restrictions during the 2025–2026 crop year after an early start to winter. Inclement weather in Vancouver affected the pace at which terminals could load grain onto vessels. These constraints are reminders that rail capacity is only one part of end-to-end performance. A loaded train that reaches a congested terminal cannot immediately cycle back to the Prairies. Record movement therefore required coordination among elevator operators, railway crews, terminal workers and vessel schedules—not simply more locomotives pulling more cars.

The Next Target Is Even Higher

For grain producers, the record is most meaningful when it translates into dependable delivery opportunities. Strong rail throughput can help country elevators manage space, reduce the likelihood of prolonged backlogs and keep export commitments moving. It cannot guarantee stronger farm prices, which also depend on global supply, currency movements, trade policy and crop quality. Still, reliable transportation protects market access by making Canadian grain a more predictable option for overseas buyers who plan milling, crushing and food-processing schedules months in advance.

CPKC is now planning capacity for up to 34.5 million tonnes of Canadian grain and grain products in 2026–2027, subject to demand and full supply-chain performance. That target is ambitious but not a promise. AAFC expects production of all principal field crops to decline about 6% from the exceptional 2025 harvest, while remaining above the five-year average. Weather, port performance and customer demand will determine whether another record is possible. The larger lesson from 30.66 million tonnes is that infrastructure investment and disciplined coordination can turn a big harvest into sustained commercial movement.

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