McInnis Cement faces rail limit

Canadian cement producer McInnis Cement faces a new challenge in distributing its cement. The Quebec Ministry of Transport is imposing a 10 rail cars/week limit on cement transportation between Matapédia and Caplan due to the dismal state of the rail line.

While 90 per cent of its 2.3Mt cement output is shipped, McInnis Cement had planned to increase rail transport of its products to Canadian and US customers to 40 cars per week by next summer.

In May 2015 the Quebec Ministry of Transport acquired the railway infrastructure of the Gaspésie Railway Co, on the brink of bankruptcy. In spring 2017 Quebec Prime Minister, Philippe Couillard, announced a CAD100m investment to upgrade the track and bridges on the Matapédia and Gaspé route. MPs in the region are now calling on the government to accelerate the rehabilitation of the railway, scheduled for 2019.