CN Rail recalls laid-off workers to handle harvest

MONTREAL — Canadian National Railway has recalled laid-off employees to handle the start of what are expected to be bumper grain crops in Canada and the U.S.

“We’re handling and ready to handle more of the crop that has been produced,” chief operating officer Mike Cory said Tuesday after the Montreal-based carrier reported third-quarter results.

He didn’t provide details of how many workers are affected by the change or where they are located.

“In order to deliver the efficient, reliable service the supply chain requires, we recalled employees back to work. We’ve repaired grain cars and deployed them close to our customers so they are ready for use after harvest,” said Cory.

Over the last few weeks, he said the railway delivered record weekly grain shipments more than once by working with partners and lengthening the size of trains. “The near future looks bright for the grain business,” he added, noting that revenues from the commodity are expected to grow through the third quarter of next year.

CN Rail raised its outlook for the year, saying it expects adjusted earnings will increase by about one per cent above the $4.44 per share earned last year. It previously predicted its 2016 results would be about in line with its 2015 results. The improved outlook came as CN reported a profit of $972 million or $1.25 per diluted share for the three months ended Sept. 30, down one cent from a year ago when it earned $1 billion.