Retired Intermodal containers donated by CN are enjoying renewed purpose by Indigenous communities across western Canada.

Getting the containers to the communities across multiple provinces has been an effort of committed partnership. Steven Santelli, Indigenous Relations Manager at CN, has led the initiative and worked with key partners Wildcard Excavation, a Métis-owned company and CN vendor, Enoch Civil Construction (owned by the Enoch Cree Nation), Road to Rail Construction, a joint venture with Paul First Nation, Recovery Rail Services, an Indigenous-owned company and CN vendor, Secure Energy and Ambipar Group.

Since April 2025, CN has donated 25 containers to support a variety of essential programs and services in Indigenous communities that are unique to their needs, including horse stables, safe electronic recycling and metal recycling depots, emergency response storage and cultural equipment storage.

All partners generously provided delivery services for free, ensuring the containers reached their new homes without any financial cost to either the communities or CN. The donations have saved communities significant costs while providing much-needed critical resources.

 

Steven Santelli (left), Indigenous Relations Manager at CN, worked with Councillor Vern Guimond from Sagkeeng First Nation, Manitoba, on the delivery of a donated container for the community.

 

 

Donated CN containers arrive at the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council in Saskatchewan and at the Paul First Nation, Alberta. The containers save communities significant costs while providing much-needed critical resources.