CN Rail strike comes at 'probably the worst time' in Thunder Bay shipping season

A nation-wide rail workers strike that has brought Canadian National trains to a halt could eventually have an impact on the shipping industry in Thunder Bay.

More than 3,000 conductors, trainpersons and yard workers walked off the job on Tuesday, effectively shutting down CN's network across the country.

Thunder Bay Port Authority chief executive officer Tim Heney said the severity of the impact on the local port would depend on how long the strike lasts, but he's hoping for a quick resolution.

"It's traditionally the busiest time of the year," Heney said. "The seaway shuts down basically just after Christmas. This is the time when the crop gets moved through the port and it's probably the worst time for this to happen."

Heney said about 20 per cent of the grain shipped to Thunder Bay is brought by CN trains, with the remaining 80 per cent carried by the Canadian Pacific Railway.

CN has transported an average of nearly 80,000 metric tonnes of grain to Thunder Bay per week during a three-week stretch in late October and early November, according to statistics on the rail company's website.

"It's certainly significant to the port and will disrupt shipments if (work stoppage) extends any period of time," Heney said.

Heney said the port has capacity to store any incoming grain that can't be moved prior to the end of this shipping season.

CN is also involved in moving potash and coal to Thunder Bay, Heney said, but he isn't sure how those commodities would be affected by the strike.