The volume of rail freight carried in Canada showed a 4.5 percent increase in February, according to data compiled by Statistics Canada.
The federal statistics agency estimated total rail freight volumes at 26.8 million tonnes in February, up 4.5 percent over February 2015.
Freight originating in Canada increased seven percent to 24.4 million tonnes, Stats Canada said. That number was comprised of intermodal and non-intermodal haulings.
Non-intermodal freight during the month rose nearly nine percent to 270,000 carloads, with total bulk loadings pegged at 21.8 million tonnes, up 7.1 percent from February 2015. The increase in non-intermodal cargo was driven by an 0.5 million tonne increase in freight loadings of iron ores and concentrates, a 0.4 million tonne increase in canola, and a 0.2 million tonne increase in lumber.
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Wheat shipments in February were listed at roughly 1.68 million tonnes, down from 1.88 million the year before.
Potash shipments were 1.29 milion, down from 1.44 last year.
Haulings of coal, potash, and fuel oils and crude petroleum also posted year-over-year declines in February.
Intermodal car loadings showed solid year-over-year growth, up 7.8 percent in February.
Freight traffic received from the United States fell more than 15 percent to 2.5 million tonnes due to decreases in both non-intermodal and intermodal shipments.
