A major Canadian railway company confirms that Revelstoke, a historic railroader town, will lose about 125 jobs this summer as it relocates a mass of labour to Kamloops.
CPKC has been public with the Revelstoke community since summer 2025 about its intent to move a substantial chunk of its workforce two-and-a-half hours west, due to ongoing housing and staff retention challenges.
On Wednesday, May 13, CPKC media spokesperson Terry Cunha updated Black Press Media that 125 train crew members are relocating to Kamloops starting this summer.
READ: CPKC to relocate Revelstoke railroaders in June, but unclear how many will go
He reiterated that transferring some running trade employees is one way the company is addressing issues with employee shortages and operational efficiency in Revelstoke. CPKC has said that many railroaders have requested transfers or resigned, despite its continuous hiring efforts and investment in a 48-unit housing project for Revelstoke employees.
“Maintaining staff levels and filling several positions has remained a persistent challenge,” Cunha said by email last Wednesday.
Still, “Revelstoke is and will remain an important operational centre and crew area for CPKC and remain the home base for hundreds of our employees,” he commented previously.
Going forward, numerous train crews will be eligible to opt to stay in Revelstoke, while relocation assistance will be provided to employees who opt to relocate their permanent home to Kamloops, Cunha explained.
Christopher Monette, public affairs director for the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), previously told Black Press Media in March that negotiations between the union and CPKC failed last winter. As a result, an arbitrator got involved to determine benefits for relocated employees.
“We are complying with the arbitrator’s ruling,” Monette said by email last Thursday, May 14. “The company has been giving workers time off for house hunting, and has begun the onboarding process on the new territory.”
READ: CPKC says Revelstoke to remain key railway hub despite shift to Kamloops
Now, he says 125 jobs in Revelstoke are going to be relocated to Kamloops as of June 29.
“The union remains disappointed by the company’s decision to move work out of Revelstoke,” Monette said. “We have fought for our members, and managed to secure protections that go beyond what would have been offered in a non-union environment.”
But by this point for Revelstoke’s railroaders, he said TCRC has done “everything in our power to protect workers and their families.”
Revelstoke’s legacy as a railway community dates back 150 years to the 1880s, when the Canadian Pacific Railway first laid track through the area.
Today, CPKC provides Revelstoke with about 300 six-figure-salary jobs. It has continued to be a major economic driver for the city, according to Economic Development Revelstoke.