Back in February, the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) called for quick passage of the Transportation Modernization Act before the Senate Standing Committee on Transport and Communications.

The Act, also known as Bill C-49, will offer long term solutions to rail transportation issues, but there is still no word on when it will be passed.

The Commission says, the passage of Bill C-49 has become increasingly important as poor rail service is being seen across Western Canada this year.

AWC Region 5 Director, Warren Sekulic, was a part of the group who gave their testimony before the Senate.

"There was a whole bunch of us from the supply chain there," Sekulic says. "We basically spoke to Bill C-49, what we liked about it, and some minor amendments that we were hoping to put into it."

He says, the Senate saw the urgency in what they were presenting.

"We generally had a sympathetic ear while we were there. It's an omnibus bill though, so it's pretty big with lots of different parts in play, so there's a little more challenges than just strictly dealing with grain."

The Transportation Modernization Act amends the Canada Transportation Act in the areas of air transportation and railway transportation.

AWC says, car order fulfillment by CN Rail this year has been as low as 50 per cent, and on average just above 60 per cent.

Sekulic says, costs associated with railway delays are ultimately passed down the supply chain to producers.

"If a grain shipper is late in loading their rail cars, they get an automatic penalty from the rail company and the costs are generally passed down to the farmer. Also, if there ends up backlog in rail service and there's boats waiting at port, we have to pay demurrage on those boats, and inevitably all those costs end up being passed back down to us."

He says, almost all the crops he grows are destined for the export market and are dependent on a single railway.

"This year, I contracted 1,000 tonnes of grain from last fall's harvest. I was able to deliver some of it in January, but due to current delays there is a significant amount that I have been unable to deliver since, putting my farm business at risk. Bill C-49 will help avoid circumstances like this that are caused by railway failures."

The Commission says, the bill is imperative in ensuring grain can be shipped to Canada's international customers while ensuring railway accountability.

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