Canadian National Railway (CN) plans to move more lumber destined for China through B.C. ports, after reaching an agreement August 10 with China’s largest lumber buyer, CNBM Forest Products Trading Ltd.
CNBM will use CN’s new lumber container facility at Thornton Yard in Surrey to increase the supply-chain capacity for Canadian lumber exports.
CN intends to start shipping this fall. Thornton Yard will have an initial footprint of eight acres – with room to grow up to 20 acres – and a throughput capacity of approximately 10,000 containers per year.
Thornton Yard will be supplied with rail cars filled with lumber from B.C. Interior sawmills.
Canada’s largest railroad operator also plans to boost lumber capacity in Prince George to more than 30,000 annually and add 25 Prince George workers by the end of the year, after a $3.2 million expansion to a Prince George yard is complete.
“Lumber exports to China now account for close to 25% of the Western Canadian total and are expected to continue to increase at a fast pace in the years to come,” CN executive vice-president and chief marketing officer Jean-Jacques Ruest said in a release.
“CN aims to foster a world-class export supply chain for Canadian lumber in co-operation with CNBM Forest Products Trading, lumber producers in B.C. and ocean shipping lines serving Metro Vancouver.”
Glen Korstrom
Twitter: GlenKorstrom