Overview of the Promise

During his 2025 election campaign, Mark Carney promised to help Canadian farmers, particularly in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, get their goods to market at low cost. The specific mechanism outlined was extending the Extended Railway Interswitching pilot program by three years. Additionally, the promise included exploring options to exclude non-Canadian railways from the project to support Canadian workers.

The interswitching pilot, introduced in the 2023 federal budget under the previous government, allowed shippers like farmers to access competitive rail rates by switching carriers over longer distances in the Prairie provinces. It began in September 2023 and was set to run for 18 months, expiring on March 20, 2025.

Actions Taken by the Carney Government

Since taking office following the April 28, 2025, federal election, Prime Minister Mark Carney's government has focused on various economic and infrastructure initiatives, including high-speed rail development and responses to U.S. tariffs. However, there is no evidence of specific actions to extend the interswitching pilot. The pilot expired in March 2025, shortly before Carney assumed office, amid parliamentary prorogation by the previous Trudeau government, which halted potential legislative extensions.

In August 2025, Carney pledged support for Saskatchewan farmers facing canola market challenges, emphasizing measures to aid agricultural exports. This aligns broadly with helping farmers access markets, but it does not address the interswitching extension directly. No public announcements, budget allocations, or policy documents from the Prime Minister's Office indicate progress on reviving or extending the pilot.

Legislation Proposed or Passed

No legislation has been proposed or passed by the Carney government to extend the interswitching pilot by three years. Prior to the election, concerns were raised by agricultural groups about the pilot's impending expiration, but the prorogation prevented any action. Post-election, parliamentary sessions have prioritized other infrastructure projects, such as fast-tracking high-speed rail and addressing trade barriers, without mentioning interswitching.

In contrast, historical context includes a 2024 Senate bill (S-287) aimed at repealing extended interswitching, supported by Canadian railways, but this predates Carney's term and was not advanced under his leadership.

Analysis of Key Promise Elements

The promise emphasized low-cost market access for farmers in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. While Carney's government has engaged with provincial leaders on agricultural support, such as discussions with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe on canola issues, these efforts do not involve interswitching and appear reactive to immediate trade pressures rather than proactive cost reductions via rail competition.

On extending the pilot by three years: This has not occurred. The program lapsed in March 2025, and no extension has been implemented, meaning farmers in the targeted provinces lack the continued benefits of enhanced rail competition.

Regarding exploring options to exclude non-Canadian railways: There is no reported exploration or policy development on this aspect. This element aimed to protect Canadian jobs but remains unaddressed, with no consultations or proposals mentioned in government releases or media reports.

Overall, the specific commitments have not been fulfilled, and the expiration of the pilot without renewal suggests the promise's core objective is unmet.

Potential Path Forward

If the government were to revive this promise, it would require introducing legislation to reinstate and extend the pilot, potentially through a budget bill or standalone act. Excluding non-Canadian railways could involve amendments to the Canada Transportation Act. However, with the 2025-26 grain season underway and rail companies like CN and CPKC publishing their grain plans without reference to extended interswitching, the window for impact is narrowing. Failure to act by the end of 2025 could solidify this as broken.

Overall Status

This promise is broken.