EPA Releases an Update on the Canadian Rail Service Disruption & Potential Impacts on Suppliers of Water Treatment Chemicals

On Friday, August 16, EPA released an update on Canada’s two largest rail carriers, Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), as both companies have been in extended labor negotiations with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, which represents approximately 9,300 employees. Due to a lack of progress in negotiations, both CN and CPKC have indicated that a lockout of employees may take place as soon as one minute past midnight on Thursday, August 22 if there is not meaningful progress in negotiations. A lockout would result in a shutdown of rail transport service in Canada until the lockout is lifted.

To prepare for a potential lockout, CN started an embargo on August 12 against rail transport of toxic-inhalation hazard (TIH) products, including chlorine, for shipments originating in the U.S. and destined for Canada. CN started an embargo on August 15 against rail transport of TIH products for shipments originating in Canada. CPKC started an embargo on August 12 against rail transport of TIH products for all shipments originating in, or destined for, Canada.