CN Rail Vegetation Management

At CN, we are committed to operating a safe and efficient railway while fostering trust and collaboration with the communities we serve. As part of this commitment, we are reaching out to inform you of our upcoming vegetation management activities in your area, scheduled to take place between April and October 2025. You can find a regularly updated schedule at www.cn.ca/vegetation.

Vegetation management is a crucial component of railway safety and regulatory compliance. In accordance with Transport Canada’s requirements, our program helps maintain clear sightlines for motorists and pedestrians at crossings while mitigating potential risks to railway operations. By proactively managing vegetation, we enhance safety for both rail operations and the surrounding communities.

Management Strategies

CN manages vegetation using both chemical and mechanical methods. We are sensitive to concerns your community may have regarding chemical vegetation management and at CN, we strive to safeguard our neighbouring communities and the environment.

The track infrastructure is composed of two main sections, the 24-foot ballast section (which is primarily gravel and supports the track structure) and the right of way portion (which is the area outside of the ballast section to the CN property boundary).

The 24-foot ballast section and the areas around signals and communications equipment that are critical for safe railway operations will be managed using chemical methods. Application in these safety critical areas is done by spray trucks or spray trains with downcast nozzles that spray a short distance above the ground surface with shrouded booms, specially designed to limit the chemicals from drifting. The right-of-way section is maintained using mechanical control methods such as mowing, or brush cutting and may be chemically treated to control noxious or invasive weeds or brush.

CN will use chemical control techniques on the ballast section and specific locations of the right of way throughout the network for safety reasons. Furthermore, when chemicals are applied via spray train or truck, additives called surfactants are included to make the chemical work better.

CN has retained professional contractors qualified to undertake this work. They are required to follow all laws and regulations that apply to CN. In addition, the contractors will ensure that vegetation control is performed with consideration of the environment and in accordance with the highest industry standards.

Should your community have any noxious weed removal requests, we ask that you contact CN's Public Inquiry Line at contact@cn.ca or fill out the form at www.cn.ca/vegetation before June 1, 2025 with the specific information and location. CN will make every effort to include those locations as part of our 2025 Vegetation Management Program. All notices sent after the above-mentioned date will be included in the 2026 Vegetation Management Plan.