CN pledges $5 million to assist Syrian refugees resettling in Canada

OTTAWA, Dec. 11, 2015 /CNW/ - CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) today, accompanied by the Honourable John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced a  $5 million donation to assist communities with the resettlement of Syrian refugees across Canada.

"The humanitarian need is great and time is short to help welcome refugees arriving on our doorstep," said Luc Jobin, executive vice president and chief financial officer of CN. "Canada's business community has always been ready to aid those in need. We encourage other Canadian businesses to join CN in support of refugees looking for a better life."

Minister McCallum said, "This is not a government project; this is a national project. Across the country, Canadians have been saying we need to do more to help Syrian refugees. Today I'd like to commend CN for its generosity in leading the way among Canada's business community. I look forward to seeing others rise to the occasion."    

Halifax Mayor Mike Savage, co-chair of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Task Force   on Syrian Refugee Resettlement, said, "CN's support during this humanitarian crisis is a very welcome contribution to help address immediate and short-term needs of the thousands of refugees Canada will welcome in the coming weeks and months. We look forward to working with all orders of government on lasting solutions to the housing affordability crunch so that communities and newcomers are set up for success long-term."

Robert Pace, chairman of the board of directors of CN, said, "CN is very active in helping to build stronger communities. I'm proud that CN is assisting Syrian refugees with their transition to a better life, filled with the same hopes for their families and children that all Canadians share."

In the coming days, CN will join with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and other Canadian business leaders to direct funds to assist with housing and other needs of Syrian refugees.

CN is a true backbone of the economy whose team of approximately 25,000 railroaders transports more than C$250 billion worth of goods annually for a wide range of business sectors, ranging from resource products to manufactured products to consumer goods, across a rail network of approximately 20,000 route-miles spanning Canada and mid-America. CN – Canadian National Railway Company, along with its operating railway subsidiaries – serves the cities and ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Chicago, Memphis, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America. For more information about CN, visit the company's website at www.cn.ca

SOURCE CN

Media: Patrick Waldron, Senior Manager, Media Relations, [phone]; Investors: Janet Drysdale, Vice-President, Investor Relations, [phone]