Disposition of properties

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]

Disposition of properties

Dispositions of properties

Gain on sale of Obico

During the fourth quarter of 2016, the Company completed the sale of its Obico rail yard, for gross proceeds of $38 million. The Company recorded a gain on sale of $37 million ($33 million after tax) within "Purchased services and other" from the transaction.

Gain on sale of Arbutus Corridor

In March 2016, the Company completed the sale of CP’s Arbutus Corridor (the “Arbutus Corridor”) to the City of Vancouver for gross proceeds of $55 million. The agreement allows the Company to share in future proceeds on the eventual development and/or sale of certain parcels of the Arbutus Corridor. The Company recorded a gain on sale of $50 million ($43 million after tax) within "Purchased services and other" from the transaction during the first quarter of 2016.

Gain on sale of Delaware & Hudson South

During the first quarter of 2015, the Company finalized a sales agreement with Norfolk Southern Corporation ("NS") for approximately 283 miles of the Delaware and Hudson Railway Company, Inc.'s line between Sunbury, Pennsylvania, and Schenectady, New York ("D&H South"). The sale, which received approval by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (“STB”) on May 15, 2015, was completed on September 18, 2015 for proceeds of $281 million (U.S. $214 million). The Company recorded a gain on sale of $68 million ($42 million after tax) from the transaction during the third quarter of 2015.

Gain on settlement of legal proceedings related to the purchase and sale of a building

In 2013, CP provided an interest free loan pursuant to a court order to a corporation owned by a court appointed trustee (“the judicial trustee”) to facilitate the acquisition of a building. The building was held in trust during the legal proceedings with regard to CP’s entitlement to an exercised purchase option of the building (“purchase option”). As at December 31, 2014, the loan of $20 million and the purchase option with a carrying value of $8 million, were recorded as “Other assets” in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

In the first quarter of 2015, CP reached a settlement with a third party that, following the sale of the building to an arm’s-length third party, resulted in resolution of legal proceedings. CP received $59 million for the sale of the building which included repayment of the aforementioned loan to the judicial trustee. A gain of $31 million ($27 million after tax) was recorded as a credit within “Purchased services and other”.

Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad – West

On January 2, 2014, the Company executed an agreement with Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (“G&W”) for the sale of a portion of CP’s DM&E line between Tracy, Minnesota; Rapid City, South Dakota; Colony, Wyoming; and Crawford, Nebraska to connecting branch lines (“DM&E West”). The sale was subject to regulatory approval by the STB.

On May 30, 2014, the Company completed the sale of DM&E West to G&W for net proceeds of $236 million (U.S. $218 million). As the assets of DM&E West had previously been written down to the estimated transaction amount in 2013, the transaction did not give rise to a significant earnings impact in 2014.