CN to Appeal CTA Decision on Service Obligations

MONTREAL, April 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) is in receipt of the decision made by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) this afternoon with regard to possible freight rail service issues in the Vancouver area.

CN disagrees with the CTA’s conclusions which were based on the evidence submitted at hearings in Vancouver in January 2019 and intends to appeal the decision to the Federal Court of Appeal.

The sole breach identified by the Agency related to CN's September 2018 announcement of its intention to regulate the flow of traffic of wood pulp shipments in Vancouver during December 2018 for the purposes of avoiding congestion. CN maintains that this was an appropriate and necessary measure in the circumstances.

The focus of the Agency's investigation was possible freight rail service issues in the Vancouver area during the four month period of October 2018 to January 2019, and in particular congestion at CN's Thornton Yard. The Agency also concluded that CN's regulated flow of traffic at Thornton Yard was justified in the circumstances, as the traffic increases and congestion issues which prompted the embargoes were beyond CN's control. The Agency recognized CN’s efforts during the fall of 2018 to reduce congestion through the deployment of extra crews and locomotive power.