Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, introduced the Fair Rail Freight Service Act bill to give companies that ship goods by rail the right to a service agreement with railways. It will also create an arbitration process to establish an agreement when commercial negotiations fail.

 “The Harper government is taking action in the interest of all Canadians to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and reliability of the entire rail freight supply,” Lebel said. “This bill will help shippers maintain and grow their businesses while ensuring that railways can manage an efficient shipping network for everyone.”