Canada Freight Rates

Truckload Rates in Canada – October 2025

Canadian truckload rates softened in September as earlier pre-tariff shipping activity faded and domestic freight weakness became more apparent. While capacity remains structurally tighter than in the U.S. following several quarters of fleet contraction, broad economic softness and declining cross-border volumes are now weighing more heavily on rate trends. Below is the latest breakdown of spot rates across key Canadian corridors from ACT Research’s October Freight Forecast.

Spot Market Rates

Intra-Canada Dry Van:
Spot rates rose 5¢ month-over-month to $1.50 per mile in early October, following a 1¢ decline in September. Despite the modest uptick, overall freight demand remains weak as retail restocking and discretionary spending stay limited. LoadLink’s Freight Index fell 14% m/m and 40% y/y, reflecting persistent sluggishness in regional volumes. Capacity remains tight enough to prevent deeper declines, but market balance still favors shippers amid muted economic activity.

U.S. to Canada:
Northbound dry van rates were largely stable in September, holding close to prior-month levels amid slower cross-border trade and softening U.S. freight activity. Import demand remains subdued, particularly for consumer goods and manufactured inputs, as tariffs and weaker retail spending in the U.S. weigh on northbound freight. With few signs of improvement, northbound pricing is expected to remain flat to slightly weaker into Q4.

Canada to U.S.:
Southbound rates improved slightly in September, with reefer spot rates up 9¢ m/m to $1.92 per mile, a 1.5% y/y increase, while dry van rates ticked up modestly to $1.50 per mile. These gains were driven by temporary pre-tariff export shipping and constrained reefer capacity. However, overall cross-border volumes continue to trend lower amid tariff uncertainty, inflationary cost pressures, and slowing manufacturing output.

Outlook

Canadian truckload markets remain fragile entering the final quarter of 2025. With both domestic and cross-border freight demand subdued, rate pressure is expected to persist despite continued fleet contraction. Tariff-driven cost inflation and weak retail and manufacturing activity are capping rate recovery potential.

Heading into 2026, the outlook hinges on a rebound in U.S. freight demand and potential resolution of trade and tariff policy disputes. Until then, Canadian carriers are expected to remain focused on margin preservation, cost control, and selective capacity deployment, operating defensively in a market defined more by uncertainty than growth.

To see how Canadian rates change in the future, and for detailed analysis and forecasts or truckload, less-than-truckload, and intermodal, see ACT's freight & transportation forecast.