Canada’s transportation and logistics industry is undergoing profound changes. With 2024 behind us, the year 2025 introduces a new wave of transformation across drayage and intermodal logistics. Evolving regulations, tech breakthroughs, labor shifts, and green mandates are converging—and shippers must stay ahead.
In this comprehensive guide, we unpack what’s shaping the drayage sector in 2025: from port congestion solutions to electric fleets and digital infrastructure. We also spotlight regional shifts and emerging growth corridors.
🔎 Executive Summary: What’s Changing in 2025?
- Record cargo volumes through Toronto, Vancouver, and Halifax
- Surge in electric truck adoption in urban drayage zones
- New inland terminals activated in Manitoba and Saskatchewan
- Automation and AI now central to port and rail coordination
- Greater U.S.-Canada trade flow with digitized customs clearance
- Labour contracts renegotiated in key markets, reshaping retention
From Congestion to Coordination — Canada’s Ports in 2025
🚢 1.1 Vancouver and Halifax Lead with Smart Infrastructure
Automation has been key. Vancouver’s port digitization initiative completed Phase 2, enabling real-time container scanning and automated load assignment. Halifax expanded its berth infrastructure and introduced AI scheduling at its intermodal terminal.
🧠 1.2 AI-Driven Yard Management
Across Montreal and Prince Rupert, AI-driven yard operations are reducing truck dwell times by up to 35%. This frees up port real estate and expedites cargo routing to inland terminals.
🔁 1.3 Inland Hubs Take the Pressure Off
New facilities in Regina and Winnipeg are offloading inbound rail freight to ease coastal congestion. Drayage cycles are now synchronized through centralized digital control towers.
⚡ Section 2: Electrification and the Green Supply Chain
🔋 2.1 Growth of Electric Drayage Fleets
In 2025, over 15% of urban drayage trucks in Toronto and Vancouver are electric or hybrid. Federal grants have accelerated fleet modernization, especially among mid-size carriers.
🌱 2.2 Green Port Initiatives Expand
Green corridor programs are now active in all major Canadian ports. Shore power and cold-ironing capabilities are reducing ship emissions, and terminals are experimenting with biofuels for cargo handling equipment.
🔄 2.3 Shifting Modal Mix: Rail as a Carbon Strategy
More shippers are switching to intermodal rail for mid-continent delivery. A typical rail intermodal route from Montreal to Calgary emits up to 60% less CO₂ than long-haul trucking.
⚡ Electrification and the Green Supply Chain
🔋 2.1 Growth of Electric Drayage Fleets
In 2025, over 15% of urban drayage trucks in Toronto and Vancouver are electric or hybrid. Federal grants have accelerated fleet modernization, especially among mid-size carriers.
🌱 2.2 Green Port Initiatives Expand
Green corridor programs are now active in all major Canadian ports. Shore power and cold-ironing capabilities are reducing ship emissions, and terminals are experimenting with biofuels for cargo handling equipment.
🔄 2.3 Shifting Modal Mix: Rail as a Carbon Strategy
More shippers are switching to intermodal rail for mid-continent delivery. A typical rail intermodal route from Montreal to Calgary emits up to 60% less CO₂ than long-haul trucking.
🖥️ Logistics Tech and Data Integration
💡 3.1 Real-Time Visibility Becomes Standard
Integrated platforms now connect port operators, drayage fleets, and customs brokers. Dashboards show load status, GPS positions, ETA adjustments, and compliance flags in one view.
🧬 3.2 Blockchain for Intermodal Chain-of-Custody
Blockchain adoption rose 45% year-over-year in logistics partnerships, with smart contracts governing handoffs between carriers, terminals, and customers.
🤖 3.3 Predictive AI and Demand Sensing
Toronto-based logistics platforms are using AI to predict intermodal container surges, reallocating chassis and drivers based on real-time import/export data feeds.
👷 Workforce Strategy and Labour Market Trends
💼 4.1 Renewed Focus on Driver Retention
Amidst chronic shortages, wage increases and schedule flexibility are now standard in collective bargaining. Drayage providers are adopting predictive HR tech to forecast turnover.
🚛 4.2 Dispatcher Automation
AI-based dispatching software is reshaping how fleets are coordinated, leading to 25–30% productivity boosts for smaller operators.
🏫 4.3 Upskilling and Inclusion
Canada’s national logistics training initiatives now focus on digital skills, sustainability, and cross-border compliance. Inclusion programs are supporting women and newcomers entering transport roles.
🌐 Trade Corridors and Intermodal Flows
🇺🇸 5.1 Streamlined Cross-Border Freight
U.S.-Canada freight flows hit new highs in 2025 thanks to digital clearance programs. Pre-cleared intermodal containers are now tracked via shared blockchain registries between Canadian CBSA and U.S. CBP.
🛤️ 5.2 Prairie-to-Port Corridors Expand
Rail corridors connecting Saskatchewan and Alberta to Pacific ports are operating at higher throughput, with grain, chemicals, and manufactured goods moving intermodally.
🚦 5.3 Urban Congestion Pricing
Vancouver and Toronto have introduced pilot congestion charges for city drayage, directing trucks toward designated low-traffic windows to reduce emissions and delays.
📊 Key Metrics to Watch in 2025
| Metric | 2024 (Est.) | 2025 (Proj.) |
|---|---|---|
| Port Container Volume (TEUs) | 6.7M | 7.4M |
| Electric Drayage % | 9% | 15% |
| Intermodal Rail Volume Growth | +6.2% | +9.1% |
| Driver Retention (12mo avg.) | 66% | 72% |
| Blockchain Usage in Logistics | 31% | 45% |
📌 Final Thoughts: The Shape of Drayage and Intermodal Logistics in 2025
This year, Canada’s logistics ecosystem is shifting from reactive to predictive. AI, electrification, inland expansion, and workforce modernization are no longer experimental—they’re operational priorities.
For shippers and 3PLs alike, 2025 is the time to:
- Audit your intermodal strategy
- Rethink emissions compliance
- Partner with tech-forward drayage providers
- Invest in workforce resilience
📘 Looking for a reliable drayage partner in your area? Explore our Drayage Directory to find trusted carriers across Canada, updated for 2025.
