Prairie Rail: Record Wheat Volumes, Canola Collapse, and a Regulatory System Under Pressure

Canadian railways moved more Prairie wheat in 2025 than in any year in recent memory. Wheat carloadings reached 31.1 million tonnes for the full year — a 14.3 percent increase over 2024, and the largest annual gain in cereal grain shipments since 2018. That number looks strong on a spreadsheet. For producers still sitting on canola they can’t move at a reasonable price, it tells only half the story.