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CN pulls rail workers out of Jasper as Alberta mountain town rebuilds after wildfire

Posted on by Vaseline
CN pulls rail workers out of Jasper as Alberta mountain town rebuilds after wildfire

The Canadian National Railway Company (CN) has announced that it is relocating its crew change terminal from Jasper, Alta.

According to Ashley Michnowski, media relations for CN, the change is expected to go into effect in September 2025.

A letter from CN to all employees in Jasper states that the decision is intended to improve network flexibility between Edmonton and Blue River/McBride, BC.

Although the rail line still runs through Jasper, CN will no longer be changing shifts in the city.

“We were very disappointed,” said Ray Donegan, general chairman of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference.

The crew change terminal is being moved from Jasper to approximately 100 kilometres east in the town of Hinton.

Buildings.
CN’s bunkhouse is located in Jasper’s industrial park, where most of the buildings were destroyed by a wildfire in July. The bunkhouse is the building to the left of the sign. (Liam Harrap/CBC)

CN is one of the largest employers in Jasper, a community that relies largely on tourism.

“It is CN Rail employees who drive the economy outside the tourist season,” Donegan said.

About 200 people work for CN in Jasper, Donegan said, and about 50 of them lost their homes when a wildfire hit the community in July.

Including Dave Bilodeau, a long-time CN employee who was born and raised in Jasper and lost his rental home in the fire.

Although Bilodeau had to move to Hinton to find a place to live, he hoped the move would only be temporary.

“I love Jasper,” he said.

“I want to live there.”

People
Dave Bilodeau and Karlie Keyes are both Jasperites. (Submitted by Dave Bilodeau)

A third of the buildings in Jasper were destroyed by the fire. Since then, Jasper workers have been reporting to Hinton while the CN bungalow is being restored, according to a letter CN sent to workers.

The majority of CN employees coming from Jasper already live in the Hinton area, Donegan said.

A major concern if CN moves its operations out of Jasper is whether employees will have to leave the city, Donegan said.

Jasper National Park has a Eligible Residence Clause which is designed to ensure that housing is available for people who work in Jasper, including employees, business owners and eligible retirees, while restricting recreational or second home use, a Parks Canada spokesperson said in a statement to CBC.

The statement went on to say that Parks Canada is committed to understanding how these CN changes may impact residents in relation to residency requirements.

Destroyed buildings.
About a third of Jasper’s buildings were destroyed by a wildfire in July. (Liam Harrap/CBC)

Because Bilodeau’s wife works for the Legion of Jasper, he hopes that this will allow the couple to stay in Jasper.

“I love my job,” he said.

“I understand why CN wants to do it, but it remains very difficult.”

While CN’s decision to leave Jasper could be driven by many factors, “the timing of this announcement deepens and exacerbates the pain already being felt in Jasper,” Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said in a statement to CBC.

“The loss of a major employer like CN in a small town presents immeasurable challenges,” he said.

However, this move could mark a growth spurt for Hinton.

“We welcome the employees coming to our community and look forward to welcoming these new neighbors,” said Hinton Mayor Nicholas Nissen.

“There have been rumors about this within the community for years, and now of course they have been confirmed,” he said.

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