A Saskatchewan farmer has lost his service complaint against Canadian National Railway over the company’s plans to delist 53 producer car loading sites in Western Canada.The Canadian Transportation Agency issued a decision today dismissing the complaint by Hanley, Sask., farmer Cam Goff.Crucial to the agency’s decision was its ruling that in the absence of complaints by other farmers, it would deal only with the situation at Allan, Sask., the site identified by Goff in his complaint.In his initial application, Goff had asked the agency to consider the loss of service at the 53 sites identified by CN.Goff said in an interview he was disappointed, but not surprised, by the CTA’s decision.”The turning point, and the biggest disappointment, was back in January, when the agency said it would not allow me to make an argument about all 53 sites,'” he said,He added he will consider appealing the decision to the Federal Court of Appeal, although he acknowledged that would be an expensive course to follow.Goff added he was disappointed that other farmers and farm groups and politicians didn’t do more to support his complaint.A CN spokesperson welcomed the decision, saying the rail company has no plans to dismantle loading sites in 2010.CN triggered a storm of protest when it announced last fall its plan to de-list the 53 sites.The rail company says the stations are not being used and it is simply responding to market signals from its customers. It added 120 sites would remain open.A number of farm groups and politicians protested the railway’s decision, and CN agreed to keep the tracks and switches in place until Jan. 1, 2010, to allow farmers or other groups time to make business proposals for the sites. No proposals were made, the railway said.In a Jan. 18 submission to the agency, CN said it has followed all the rules and the CTA has no authority to interfere with its plans to shut down producer car loading sites.Goff said he never suggested the railway didn’t follow all the rules. Rather, he argued that the process is flawed and unfair to producers and should be halted.”I believe the CTA does have the power to tell CN they can’t pull these sites,” he said.
Farmer loses service complaint over producer car de-listing
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