The new deals include a 3.5% yearly wage increase over the next five years, along with more vacation hours earlier in workers' careers.

The Canadian labor minister has asked the federal industrial relations board to impose binding arbitration on the parties.

Canada’s mining sector depends on the country’s two dominant railways to transport heavy materials including copper, aluminum, iron ore and coal.

The tentative agreements include 3.5% yearly wage increases, and improvements to paid vacation and health care.

After months of talks, the increasingly bitter negotiations, regarding working conditions such as shift scheduling and fatigue provisions, ended on the evening of August 21.

The Railway Association of Canada says that more than half of the country's exports are moved by rail, in addition to 70% of its intercity surface freight.

Ahead of looming deadlines, it's unclear whether either situation will resolve in time to avert these twin crises, or how long any potential work stoppages might last.

The investment will contribute to the development of infrastructure, and play a vital role in boosting Pakistan's economy, said Pakistan’s Minister for Maritime Affairs, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh.

Both companies said their gradual shutdown would ensure hazardous and vulnerable shipments aren’t stranded if a settlement isn’t reached by August 22.

Both CN and CPKC began to embargo shipments of toxic chemicals such as chlorine and ammonia on August 12.