The Canadian National Railway Company (CN) announced it’s moving its crew change terminal out of Jasper, Alta.
The change is scheduled to take effect by Sept. 2025, according to Ashley Michnowski, media relations for CN.
A letter from CN to all Jasper-based employees says the decision is aimed at improving network fluidity between Edmonton and Blue River/McBride, B.C.
While the railway line will still pass through Jasper, CN would no longer change its crews in the townsite.
“We were very disappointed,” said Ray Donegan, general chairperson of Teamsters Canada Rail Conference.
The crew change terminal will be moved from Jasper to about 100 km east, in the Town of Hinton area.
CN’s bunkhouse is located in Jasper’s industrial park, where the majority of buildings were destroyed from a wildfire in July. The bunkhouse is the building left of the sign. (Liam Harrap/CBC)
CN is one of the largest employers in Jasper — a community that largely depends on tourism.
“It’s the CN Rail employees that are driving the economy outside the tourist season,” said Donegan.
Roughly 200 people work for CN in Jasper, said Donegan. Of those, about 50 people lost their home when a wildfire hit the community in July.
“They’re totally thrown by this announcement, because they don’t know where to rebuild,” Donegan said.
“They don’t know if their insurance is going to cover it if they don’t rebuild in Jasper.”
One-third of the buildings in Jasper burned down from the fire. Since then, Jasper workers have been reporting to Hinton while the CN bunkhouse is being restored, according to a letter sent from CN to employees.
The majority of CN workers who report out of Jasper, already live in the Hinton area, said Donegan.
About one-third of the buildings in Jasper were destroyed from a wildfire in July. (Liam Harrap/CBC )
A major worry if CN moves operations out of Jasper, is whether workers will have to leave the town, said Donegan.
Jasper National Park has an eligible residency clause that was designed to ensure housing is available for people who work in Jasper, including employees, business operators and eligible retirees, while limiting recreational or second-home use, said a spokesperson for Parks Canada in a statement to CBC.
The statement furthered that Parks Canada is committed to understanding how these changes by CN may impact residents in relation to the need to reside requirements.
While CN’s decision to leave Jasper could be driven by many factors, “the timing of this announcement intensifies and deepens the pains already felt throughout Jasper,” said Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland in a statement to CBC.
“The loss of a major employer like CN in a small town creates immeasurable challenges,” he said.
However, this move could mean a growth spurt for Hinton.
“We welcome the workforce that’s coming to our community and we’re looking forward to having those new neighbours,” said Nicholas Nissen, Hinton mayor.
“There’s been rumours about this within the community for years, and now they’re of course substantiated,” he said.