CATTLE AND BEEF TRANSPORT IN WESTERN CANADA: A HISTORY OF INTER-MODAL COMPETITION AND PLANT LOCATION

The case of the Canadian cattle industry is somewhat different than the U.S. experience. In Canada, low levels of competition in transportation made for a slow transition of the location of processing from the center of demand to the source of supply. Eventually, Winnipeg did develop as a major meat packing center based on its location as a railway trans-shipment point. Like Chicago, however, the slaughter of cattle relocated from Winnipeg to be closer to the origin of supply. There is a very strong relationship between increases in competition in the transportation industry, and the migration of the locus of cattle processing towards the source of surplus supply. Other development, such as the emergence of new markets, and changes in storage and processing technology also affected the location of processing.