Federal loan keeps Alberta rail expansion on track after Dow pauses megaproject at terminal

'We're growing as a direct result of the entire region growing simultaneously'

Petrochemical companies and oil and gas players operating northeast of Edmonton will get access to expanded rail capacity after the federal government kicks in a $100-million loan.

Cando Rail and Terminals Ltd. is doubling its rail capacity in the region, known as Alberta’s Industrial Heartland, to help companies get their products to global markets.

Dow Inc. was originally slated to be the project’s anchor tenant with a new net-zero emissions petrochemical plant, but the company paused construction in April, citing uncertainty over tariffs, among other reasons.

Cando chief executive Brian Cornick said, despite what he expects will be a temporary setback for Dow’s Path2Zero project, there’s enough demand fro