Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.
CP Rail's US$31billion takeover of KCS gains final regulatory approval
The U.S. rail regulator is giving a green light to Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.'s takeover of Kansas City Southern Railway Co.
The Surface Transportation Board's approval Wednesday clears the final hurdle in CP's bid to buy KCS for US$31 billion in a deal that would create the only single-line rail network linking Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
The merged railway will be named Canadian Pacific Kansas City, with current CP chief executive Keith Creel as CEO and Calgary the global headquarters.
While it will remain the smallest of six large railways in the U.S. by revenue, it will operate nearly 33,000 kilometres of rail and employ nearly 20,000 people.
It's been a long and bumpy route to get to this point, with CP Rail fighting a protracted battle with competitor Canadian National Railway Co. over the acquisition before CP closed its proposed deal in December 2021.
CP has said the merger will build a more efficient and competitive rail network, and provide customers with a more reliable and economical transportation option serving critical north-south trade flows.
However, CN,and the antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice have expressed concerns about the merger, warning of threats to competition.
In its decision Wednesday morning, the Surface Transportation Board said the merger is "end to end," meaning there are few overlapping routes. It will speed up freight travel time, enhance efficiency and allow for better competition with the other five, larger U.S. railways, it said.
"It is thus not surprising that there is substantial (though not unanimous) shipper support for this transaction -- the Board has received more than 450 support letters," the decision reads.
"Even end-to-end mergers, however, can pose competitive risks, and indeed this decision overturns prior agency precedent that did not sufficiently recognize such concerns."
The regulator attached conditions to the deal, including that the newly merged railway keep gateways -- connection points between the CPKC system and other railroads -- open on "commercially reasonable terms," and to justify in writing any rate increases over a certain level on interline movements.
Martin J. Oberman, chairman of the Surface Transportation Board, is slated to hold a press conference on the decision Wednesday morning.
CP and KCS first announced a friendly offer in March of 2021 after a behind-the-scenes duel over the U.S. railway.
KCS then switched alliances a month later by declaring CN's cash-and-stock bid valued at US$33.6 billion as superior.
However, KCS's affection for CP returned after the U.S. transportation regulator denied CN's use of a voting trust for KCS, saying it would be bad for competition.
CP, which already had permission to use a voting trust under older rules, was able to close its proposed deal on Dec. 14, 2021. Since then, the shares of KCS have been in a voting trust that allows the U.S. railway to operate independently while the Surface Transportation Board completed its review.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 15, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'
The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.
Following child's death in Ontario, here's what you need to know about rabies and bats
An Ontario child died last month after coming into contact with a rabid bat in their bedroom, which was the first known human rabies case in Canada since 2019.
A French judge in a shocking rape case allows the public to see some of the video evidence
A French judge in the trial of dozens of men accused of raping an unconscious woman whose now former husband had repeatedly drugged her so that he and others could assault her decided on Friday to allow the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes.
Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years for voting data scheme
A judge ripped into a Colorado county clerk for her crimes and lies before sentencing her Thursday to nine years behind bars for a data-breach scheme spawned from the rampant false claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential race.
Anne Hathaway confirms 'Princess Diaries 3': 'Miracles happen'
You might be thinking, 'Shut up!' but it’s officially true: the 'Princess Diaries' franchise is finally growing.
A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.
Local Spotlight
Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.
From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.
A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.
The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.
A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.
Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north
What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.
The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.