City of Ottawa Capital Railway – Trillium Line
- Transport Canada is committed to protecting all Canadians who live and work along rail lines by putting in place the necessary measures to reduce the risk of serious accidents.
- In anticipation of the re-opening of the expanded Trillium Line later in 2023, the City of Ottawa is submitting certain Rules to the Department for review and approval.
- As required by the Railway Safety Act, Transport Canada will assess each submission taking into account the unique nature of this commuter passenger rail service.
SUPPLEMENTARY MESSAGES
- Due to the interprovincial nature of the City of Ottawa’s transit services, the City was issued a Certificate of Fitness by the Canadian Transportation Agency and operates as Capital Railway, a federally regulated railway.
- The City of Ottawa’s Trillium Line (north south line) is unique in the rail safety regime as commuter passenger service which falls under the Railway Safety Act.
- The oversight of the Confederation line is undertaken by the City of Ottawa through an agreement with the federal government. Transport Canada remains responsible for oversight of the Trillium line.
SUPPORTING FACTS AND FIGURES
- The O-Train is a light rail transit system in Ottawa, Ontario, operated by the City of Ottawa.
- The O-Train system has two lines, the electrically-operated Confederation Line (Line 1) and the diesel-operated Trillium Line (Line 2).
- The Trillium Line began operating in 2001 but service is currently suspended to accommodate the expansion of the Line.
- The Railway Safety Act allows companies to submit rules that are specific to their operations.
- The City of Ottawa has had company-specific rules for the operations on the Trillium Line since 2015.
BACKGROUND
- In 2011, the Minister of Transport and the City of Ottawa entered into an Agreement that provides the City the authority to regulate any matter relating to the design, construction, operation, safety and security of the Confederation Line.
- Under the Agreement, the City is responsible for developing, implementing and enforcing a comprehensive regulatory framework for the safety of the Confederation Line. This means it is responsible for establishing procedures for monitoring regulatory compliance and how incidences of non-compliance are corrected.
- The Agreement specifically excludes the Trillium Line, which remains subject to the Railway Safety Act and Transport Canada’s oversight regime. The Agreement can be terminated on a date determined by the Minister, at the Minister’s sole discretion and by the City by providing 150 days written notice to the Minister.