Floodwaters Take Out Sole Rail Link to Port of Halifax

Halifax SAR crew responds to a request for aid during the Nova Scotia floods (Halifax SAR)

Severe flooding has washed out a section of the sole rail link between the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia and the rest of Canada, according to rail line Canadian National.

A severe storm hit the province over the weekend, dropping eight inches of rain and causing extensive damage in an area just inland from Halifax. Road and bridge washouts have been reported throughout an area around Hammonds Plains, some 12 miles from Halifax.

Three people have been confirmed dead across the region, including two children, and one person remains missing. Efforts to restore basic services and infrastructure continue, and a state of emergency is in effect until August 5.

“Transport Canada is aware that a section of the rail line connecting Nova Scotia to New Brunswick has been heavily damaged, and we are working collaboratively with the Canadian National Railway Company (CN) to ensure the issue is addressed as soon as possible," Transport Canada confirmed in a statement Monday.

The track is the only rail link between the seaport and inland markets, but Transport Canada noted that cargo movements can still continue by truck transport while repairs are completed.

According to CN, the washed-out track section was closed pre-emptively due to flood risk on Friday. Repair crews are on scene and working on the "significant washout" near the town of Truro, but CN said that some of the work may have to wait until the floodwaters recede. All other track sections have been repaired, and the large washout is the sole area needing further work. CN has not issued a timeline for completion of the repair.

In the meantime, Port of Halifax says that it is working closely with terminal operator PSA Halifax and with CN to manage the storage of cargo in the port and around the rail yards. So far, vessel service has not been affected.

"CN is working to assess damage and prepare for any repairs. It's too early to say when [rail] service will resume," said the port authority in a statement.

The rail outage echoes an earlier weather incident that hit the Port of Vancouver in 2021, when an atmospheric river event brought heavy flooding to British Columbia and took out the port's rail connections to other provinces for weeks.