Canadian National Rail has released its Winter Plan for its most challenging months of the year

Canadian National Rail (CN) has released its 2025-2026 Winter Plan, outlining how it will continue to provide safe, reliable, and efficient service throughout the most challenging months of the year.

“Preparing for winter is part of what we do every year. Our Winter Plan lays out how our teams, assets, and processes are in place so we can deliver safe, reliable service and support our customers through the season,” said Tracy Robinson, President and Chief Executive Officer of CN.

Canadian Rail’s plan sets out three core priorities.

Resilience focused: Winter readiness is embedded into CN’s operating model, with planning taking place year-round. Predictive analytics and automated inspection technologies are being applied to prevent disruption. Workforce levels are also being reinforced to reduce delays and maintain fluidity across the network.

Strategic investment: CN has committed more than $3 billion in capital spending for 2025, including about $1.5 billion in Western Canada. This funding will expand key corridors, add double-tracked sections, and upgrade major yards to enhance capacity. Recent fleet renewal, including modernised locomotives and additional rolling stock, ensures CN can adapt quickly to extreme weather conditions.

Collaborative solutions: CN is working with ports, shippers, receivers, governments and other railways to strengthen performance across the supply chain. In partnership with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, weekly train movements to and from North Vancouver have already increased by 10 per cent. Direct collaboration with customers is also enhancing winter safety and preparedness at their own facilities, helping to minimise delays and support smoother trade flows.

The full Winter Plan is available on CN’s website.