In 2019, CP’s main rail corridor in Davenport, Iowa, experienced major flooding from the Mississippi River. During the emergency response, CP raised three miles of track by approximately one metre, successfully keeping trains operational and on schedule during the highest and longest duration flood event recorded at this location.
Following this incident, CP conducted a risk-based review of flood risks across the region. As a result, several sensitive locations were identified where watershed conditions and land-use practices have increased variability in seasonal river flows that may impact operations. To address these concerns, CP invested in rail infrastructure upgrades to maintain resiliency during future flood events. Some examples of these improvements include:
CP builds resiliency into our rail operations by incorporating a risk-based management approach to evaluating and designing infrastructure improvements.
CP has been recognized for continued sustainability leadership on the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment and added to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index in 2021 for the second consecutive year.
CP published its 2020 corporate sustainability report highlighting the company's successes and achievements on its journey to being sustainably driven. This report provides an overview of CP’s continued progress in three sustainability areas of focus: operating safety, maintaining operational excellence throughout the network, and managing the social impact of CP’s work.
On September 30, 2021, CP proudly placed into service the “Every Child Matters” orange locomotive to commemorate the victims and honour the survivors of residential schools in Canada. The locomotive will raise awareness as it operates across CP’s network for all of us who see it to continue on the path of learning about Indigenous Peoples and their rich history and culture.
CP has joined the Nature Conservancy of Canada in support of the Jim Prentice Wildlife Corridor Legacy Project, conserving a critical wildlife corridor through the Crowsnest Pass.
In June of 2020, CP completed construction of a capacity expansion project located along the south shore of the Burrard Inlet. The expansion project is critical to CP's long-term growth strategy supporting the Vancouver Terminal and CP's west coast operations.
Inspired by our own front-line workers, CP donated $1 million to four North American charities working on the front lines to help people impacted by COVID-19.
CP and Heart & Stroke have teamed up since 2014 to save lives and improve people’s health across the country. In 2020, CP committed an additional $1.5 million in funding over the next three years to support cardiovascular research that will prevent disease, save lives and promote recovery.
In November 2020, seven CP teams participated in the fourth annual Spin for a Veteran event. To date, CP has helped raise more than $1.2 million for the Homes for Heroes Foundation, which has contributed to building 12 homes for veterans since 2016.
Since the program’s inception, the CP Holiday Train program has contributed 4.8 million pounds of food donations and more than $19 million in corporate donations to more than 200 food banks in Canada and the U.S.
CP is proud to collaborate with Indspire, Canada’s leading charity dedicated to Indigenous education, through project sponsorship and scholarship donations. Since 2019, CP has supported Soaring, Indspire’s annual Indigenous youth empowerment gathering event.
On Remembrance Day in Canada and on Veterans Day in the U.S. in 2019, CP unveiled five specially painted locomotives to honour the culture and history of the Armed Forces.
In response to ongoing social unrest and social injustice across the U.S. in 2020, CP donated US$1 million to three U.S. charities to support the people of Minneapolis, home to the headquarters of CP's U.S. operations, as well as to support meaningful positive change nationally.
On June 7, 2021, CP proudly raised the Pride Flag to kick-off Pride Month across our network.
Since publishing our first commitment to diversity and inclusion, we re-doubled our efforts to collaborate with employees, communities along our network, and partner organizations to progress and support our commitment toward a more representative and inclusive workplace.
CP’s Procurement team has assessed a variety of ways to divert one or our largest waste streams, scrap railway ties, and recently, CP has partnered with Cielo Waste Solutions Corp. to evaluate the use of railway ties as feedstock at a renewable fuel refinery in development in Dunmore, Alta.
In 2021, CP implemented the use of ESSO Diesel EfficientTM fuel for its locomotive fleet in Canada.
CP's Procurement team collaborated with suppliers to secure cleaning materials and personal protective equipment, and our Pandemic Response team partnered with our Facilities team to identify cleaning and health practices required to allow CP to maintain operations in line with varying public health guidelines.
CP recognized 51 shippers with our annual Safe Shipper Award for safely transporting hazardous materials by rail in 2020.
In late 2018, CP introduced the new high efficiency product (HEP) train model to improve supply chain capacity, customer service and fuel efficiency.
In October 2020, CP leaders engaged with key customers virtually to present a progress update on our customer experience strategy through our Customer Advisory Panel.
In 2019, CP’s main rail corridor in Davenport, Iowa, experienced major flooding from the Mississippi River. As a result, CP invested in rail infrastructure upgrades to maintain resiliency during future flood events.
CP was awarded the 2020 Railway Association of Canada Safety Award for the development of a wheel-forecasting model detection system for railcars and locomotives.
In late 2020, CP deployed its new broken rail detection technology to enhance rail safety and efficiency in unsignalled territory, a section of track not controlled by signals, which accounts for approximately 40 percent of CP’s network.
In November 2020, CP train 603-825 became the first to undergo inspection under a Transport Canada exemption at CP’s Maple Creek, Sask. remote safety inspection portal.
In the fall of 2020, CP announced a partnership with Maersk Canada to build and operate a world-class transload and distribution facility in Vancouver, expanding on CP’s existing Vancouver Intermodal Facility.
In 2020, CP added two new emergency operations posts in Canada, providing a total of 10 posts on our network. Emergency operations posts are equipped with state-of-the-art telecommunications equipment and provide a safe and functional place for emergency responders to work.
To adapt to new public health requirements, CP participated in the TRANSCAER Seconds Count video series. The video series introduces first responders to topics such as scene size up and Rapid SizeUp, tank car content identification, railway property safety procedures and protective action distances.
After the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in early 2020, we established the Pandemic Response Team, responsible for developing a comprehensive pandemic planning framework and corresponding contingency action plans.
In 2020, we remained a leader in the FRA-reportable train accident frequency rate and had the lowest FRA-reportable personal injury frequency rate in our company’s history, demonstrating the effectiveness of our efforts to strengthen safety and protect the environment.
CP's first comprehensive Climate Strategy outlines our approach to drive innovative climate action and a measured response to emerging climate-related risks impacting the rail sector.
Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) granted CP $15 million to expand its Hydrogen Locomotive Program and create a global centre of excellence in hydrogen and freight rail systems in Alberta.
CP’s Hydrogen Locomotive Program aims to develop North America's first line-haul hydrogen-powered locomotive. The program involves retrofitting a line-haul locomotive with hydrogen fuel cells and battery technology to drive the locomotive's electric traction motors.
The project is one of the largest private solar farms in Alberta, and is expected to generate more power than consumed annually by the main headquarters building.
CP received a leadership level score of A- on the CDP Climate Change 2020 questionnaire for our management and prioritization of climate change impacts.
The 2019 Corporate Sustainability Data Supplement is part of CP’s commitment to detailed disclosure, outlining sustainability metrics and performance in the areas of safety, operational excellence and social impact.
In 2018, Discovery Channel premiered the documentary series, Rocky Mountain Railroad, featuring CP and the Ontario Northland Railway.
Isabelle Courville, a Board director since 2013, became Chair of the Board May 7, 2019, making history as the first-ever woman at CP and the first-ever woman across all Class 1 freight railways in North America to hold this position.
Congenital heart defects affect one in 80 children in Canada every year and there is currently no treatment to permanently repair the heart.
In partnership with Golf Canada, CP sponsors the annual Women’s Open golf tournament, and makes a substantial donation each year to support local paediatric care in the host community of Canada's National Open Golf Championship.
CP is dedicated to raising awareness about heart-healthy living through our community investment platform, CP Has Heart.
In April 2018, CP sponsored and participated in the week-long Atamiskākēwak Gathering in Moose Jaw, Sask.
In September 2019, CP hosted the inaugural Safety Awards for Excellence Gala at the RCP Pavilion at E.H.H. Campus in Calgary.
Utilizing the results of CP’s 2017 Employee Engagement survey, CP recognized the need to coach our emerging leaders to help them engage our new employees.
In June 2019, the Homes for Heroes Foundation and CP held their third annual Spin for a Veteran event, which raised more than $530,000.
In 2017, CP and the Unifor National Employment Equity and Human Rights Committee conducted an internal review to identify gaps and challenges to hiring Indigenous individuals for railcar mechanical positions.
In June 2018, CP suppliers and employees enjoyed a round of golf at the Elbow Springs Golf Club in Calgary where, with the support of numerous donations, they raised $100,000 for Heart Beats Children’s Society of Calgary.
Introduced in 2017, CP FastPass is an industry-leading mobile app that helps reduce truck density and wait times at intermodal terminals across North America.
In late 2018, CP introduced the next generation of grain transportation.
To mitigate safety risks and disruptions associated with railcar roller bearing failures, railways use wayside detectors to collect data about the condition of bearings (including temperature and vibration) on passing trains.
To support steelhead trout populations, including rearing and spawning, CP began a habitat enhancement project along 100 metres of the Bonaparte River in British Columbia in 2017.
During CP’s long history, there were times we needed to draw water from strategically located wells to service steam locomotives and water livestock in transit.
In August 2018, CP conducted Project Alpan, our largest real-world incident simulation exercise to date.
In August 2018, the Railway Association of Canada recognized CP’s commitment to safety at its annual 2018 Safety Awards.
In June 2019, CP officially renamed Hobbema train station located in central Alberta to Maskwacis, in acknowledgement of the true heritage of the land and the tribes who originated on Treaty 6 territory.
After severe flooding along Iowa's Turkey River in March 2019, damage to a rail bridge resulted in 400 feet of CP main line track falling into the river. In a remarkable 12 days, CP's Operations team replaced and elevated the missing bridge
and track.
CP leaders proudly recognized the accomplishments of 16 employees and three CP health and safety committees, for outstanding safety behaviour at the inaugural 2019 Safety Awards for Excellence Gala, hosted in Calgary last September.
Sustainably