The Alberta Wheat Commission says its pleased to see the federal government moving forward on long-term solutions to rail transportation challenges.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau said Tuesday morning, the new Transportation Modernization Act as a strategy for a more transparent, balanced, efficient and reliable transportation system.

“We appreciate that the Government of Canada has taken steps that will address longstanding transportation issues faced by farmers,” said Kevin Auch, AWC Chair. “Better rail service will in-turn strengthen our ability to build competitive advantage in the international marketplace. It reassures our global customers that our government places a high priority on a robust export environment.”

The government is also retaining the maximum revenue entitlement with some modifications to reflect individual railway investments.

Auch says better rail service will strengthen Canada's ability to build a competitive advantage in the international marketplace.

Some provisions of the bill will enhance inquiry powers of the Canadian Transportation Agency and require more publicly available data on rail system performance.