The fifth mandate of the Crop Logistics Working Group (CLWG) was established in February 2020 to provide a forum for industry to discuss ongoing issues in the grain handling and transportation system, in the context of the Government's long term transportation agenda. The expected duration of the CLWG mandate is from February 2020 to March 2022.
Specifically, the CLWG will provide agricultural stakeholders a forum to discuss and provide advice and input regarding:
- the future of performance measurement and monitoring of the grain handling and transportation system;
- long-term infrastructure priorities of the grain handling and transportation system; and,
- other short-and long-term transportation issues as required.
The membership established subcommittees to look at supply chain resiliency and data and performance measurement.
Crop Logistics Working Group: A timeline
The CLWG was originally established in 2011 to provide input into the Rail Freight Service Review implementation process; discuss operational changes arising from the transition to marketing freedom; and provide a forum for agricultural stakeholders to exchange information and views on other transportation-related issues.
In November 2012, the CLWG was given a renewed mandate to continue finding efficiencies and driving costs out of the entire value chain. This second mandate focused on innovation, capacity and stakeholder collaboration. The report to the Agriculture Minister included recommendations to improve the competitiveness of the crop supply chain that were focused on improved performance measurement.
The CLWG was renewed in February 2015 for a third mandate, to provide an on-going forum for industry to discuss supply chain challenges and identify ways to improve the crop logistics system over the short, medium and long-term. Its primary focus was to establish common positions across the supply chain as input into the Canada Transportation Act review and Transport Canada's Commodity Supply Chain Table.
The fourth mandate of the Crop Logistics Working Group (CLWG) was established in May 2017 to provide an on-going forum where industry representatives can exchange views and identify supply chain challenges and opportunities, including throughout the implementation of the Transportation 2030 freight rail initiatives and the Transportation Modernization Act.