Together with my colleagues at the Freight Management Association (FMA), I wish you a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! I am humbled, honored and privileged to assume the role of President of the FMA. I am deeply grateful to my predecessor, Bob Ballantyne, for his leadership and outstanding contributions to FMA during his 18-year presidency. I would also like to thank the FMA Chair, Gary Fast and the Board of Directors for their confidence in me and my appointment to lead the FMA, the preeminent shipper organization in Canada.

2020 was a tragic and difficult year for everyone. The world-wide pandemic caused sickness and death not seen for a century. Economies faltered and it may take years to get back to normal. However, during this dark period, the supply chain stayed intact thanks to shippers, carriers, port authorities and governments. The Canadian supply chain delivered when Canadians needed it the most.

Looking forward to 2021, vaccines have brought hope. Vaccine distribution will rely on a robust supply chain. There are signs that pent up consumer demand will flow into the new year and test the capacity of the Canadian supply chain system.

Shippers need an effective, efficient and uninterrupted supply chain to meet their current and future needs. The FMA is here to ensure that decision makers are aware of the challenges facing shippers.

We will continue to meet with government officials to ensure they understand the needs of the shipper community and the challenges shippers face in staying competitive in the global market place.

Some of the issues we will face in 2021 will be continued container shortages for Canadian exporters, the potential for rail service delays due to illegal rail blockades, locomotive and crew shortages and weather, new rail data regulations, transportation workers rest rules and the related introduction of electronic logging devices (ELDs) on trucks, digitalization of the transportation system and the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The FMA is working for you on all these issues and I look forward to hearing from each of you to discuss any of these issues or others matters affecting your organizations.

In the coming weeks we will be scheduling modal committee meetings to discuss the changing landscape and chart our way forward.

Until then be safe and thank you for being a member of the Freight Management Association of Canada.

John Corey
President
Freight Management Association of Canada
(613) 791-1959
corey@bellnet.ca