According to Statistics Canada, in April 2022, the volume of cargo carried by Canadian railways was 31.3 million tons, edging down 1.2 percent from April 2021 and marking the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year decline.
Overall freight volume remained near the five-year monthly average of 31.4 million tons, with increases in loadings of energy products offsetting the ongoing steep declines in grain shipments.
April's year-over-year overall decline was entirely driven by non-intermodal loadings (mainly commodities), since intermodal loadings (mainly containers) and freight traffic from connections with American railways both rose.
Non-intermodal operations in Canada fell 4.6 percent year over year to 24.0 million tons in April, resulting from a large tonnage drop in agricultural and foods products—notably grain.
Loadings of iron ores and concentrates―feedstock for the production of steel—were up year over year in April by 7.9 percent (+359,000 tons), following growth of 12.6 percent in March. Also, loadings of primary or semi-finished iron and steel rose year over year for the 14th time in 15 months. April's advanced manufacturing sales point to higher sales in the primary metal industries.
In April 2022, intermodal shipments—mainly containers—originating in Canada increased for the first time after seven consecutive months of year-over-year declines. Total tonnage was up 3.5 percent to 3.3 million tons from the same month a year earlier.
Container volume reached its highest tonnage ever for April, benefiting from stronger demand, as Canada's trade in consumer goods was up sharply year over year for both exports and imports, and global events started to free up the supply of containers.
Freight loadings arriving from the United States reached another record level in April, rising by 20.2 percent year over year to 4.1 million tons. This was the 13th consecutive month of year-over-year growth and the highest volume ever recorded for the month of April.