CN Rail lays off 400 managers as freight volumes tied to U.S. trade war fall

Though freight volumes at CN and Canadian Pacific Kansas City are up slightly overall, key cargo segments at the centre of the tariff battle have seen steep declines in carloads.

Canadian National Railway Co. CNR-T has laid off about 400 managers amid a slump in freight volumes tied to the trade war with the United States.

The job losses are at rail offices across Canada and the United States, where CN has extensive operations.

“CN has been adjusting its unionized and management headcount across Canada and the U.S. to reflect the business environment,” Ashley Michnowski, a CN spokeswoman, said in an e-mail. “We are careful to do this so to not compromise safety, operational excellence and our ability to take advantage of growth opportunities.”

Freight volumes at the two major Canadia