Floods and landslides have cut access to roads, rail, and the Port of Vancouver in British Columbia, as well as shut down pipelines. As a result of these natural disasters, businesses can expect lengthy shipping delays until the affected region recovers from the damage.
Below are specific impacts of the flooding and landslide on transportation and trade:
Rail
Two days of torrential rain across British Columbia caused flooding and subsequent landslides. Canada’s two major rail lines, Canadian Pacific Rail and Canadian National Rail, could not operate due to dangerous conditions.
Some rail service could be operational by the end of this week, although it is unclear how long a full recovery will take.
Sea
The flooding also shut down the Port of Vancouver, which moves over $400 million of cargo per day. Road, rail, and port closures mean that wheat and canola exports will take longer to reach their destinations. Additionally, commodities firms are also looking for alternative methods to export their products.
Road
Local and provincial authorities have closed down sections of roads due to washouts and landslides in the southern part of the province.
Pipeline
Enbridge shut down a section of natural gas pipeline as a precautionary measure, and the flooding closed the Trans Mountain pipeline, which carries up to 300,000 barrels of oil per day from Alberta to the western coast of Canada.