# LEGISLATION TARGETS COMPETITIVE RAILWAY FREIGHT SERVICE – GrainsWest

> A Western Grain Elevator Association official said the federal government reintroduced extended interswitching in its 2023 budget, with the current limit at 160 km and the group pushing for 500 km. The association argues that rail competition is limited because CN and CP act as dual monopolies at many elevators. Disruptions from the PSAC strike did not affect grain flows.

- Date: 2023-05-15 · published 2023-05-15T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: policy · region Canada · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/35958-legislation-targets-competitive-railway-freight-service-grainswest
- Commodities: [Wheat (SRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WHEAT.md), [Canola Meal](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CANMEAL.md)

## Why it matters

Greater interswitching could lower Prairie grain freight costs over time, improving farm-gate and export competitiveness. The effect on near-term futures prices is minimal.

## Read by commodity

- WHEAT: neutral
- CANMEAL: neutral

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| WHEAT | 2020-01-21 | [Grain groups in Canada want assurances for rail option - FreightWaves](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55089-grain-groups-in-canada-want-assurances-for-rail-option-freightwaves.md) | -4.1% | -0.6% |
| WHEAT | 2020-04-02 | [Analyst Insight: What is the risk of intervention in global grain markets? \| AHDB](https://feedsoft.ai/events/53718-analyst-insight-what-is-the-risk-of-intervention-in-global-grain-markets-ahdb.md) | +2.1% | -0.7% |
| WHEAT | 2019-10-18 | [Giving away FCI grains as aid a temporary solution; price support and PDS reforms key in long-term - TriumphIAS](https://feedsoft.ai/events/56518-giving-away-fci-grains-as-aid-a-temporary-solution-price-support-and-pds.md) | -2.1% | +0.3% |
| WHEAT | 2025-10-03 | [Argentina Export Tax Shock Hits Grain Markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/13828-argentina-export-tax-shock-hits-grain-markets.md) | +0.3% | +6.0% |
| WHEAT | 2017-12-05 | [GIPSA Approves Charm Sciences’ Two-Minute ROSA DONQ2 Quantitative Test for 21 Commodities](https://feedsoft.ai/events/67538-gipsa-approves-charm-sciences-two-minute-rosa-donq2-quantitative-test-for-21.md) | -4.7% | -2.6% |

## Sources

- grainswest.com: https://grainswest.com/2023/05/legislation-targets-competitive-railway-freight-service/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.