Current initiatives to strengthen rail safety

Location: National

Summary of Issue/Background

  • Since the Lac-Mégantic tragedy, Transport Canada (TC) has implemented numerous changes to strengthen rail safety, and the transportation of dangerous goods by rail, through regulatory and legislative reform, and more rigorous oversight and enforcement. Some highlights include:
    • introducing stronger rules and regulations, such as the Key Trains and Key Routes Rules, which reduces train speeds and increases track inspection requirements for trains carrying dangerous goods;
    • hiring more inspectors (107 in 2013 to 155 in 2021), and conducting more inspections (20,000 in 2013 to 34,651 in 2020);
    • implementing regulations requiring video and voice recorders to be installed in locomotives;
    • approving new rules to improve fatigue management; and
    • ordering the railway industry to improve employee safety in yard operations and improve their track maintenance and inspection procedures.

  • The Auditor General’s 2021 report noted that rail traffic continues to increase and the volume of dangerous goods transported by rail has doubled in the last ten years. There are also persistent rates of accidents, which include derailments on main lines and grade crossing accidents.

  • The recent wildfires in Lytton, BC highlighted that permanent fire risk reduction measures were needed in the existing regulatory framework for railway operations in Canada.

  • As an interim response Lytton wildfires, Transport Canada issued a 48-hour long Ministerial Order on July 9, 2021 in the interest of safe railway operations and to protect public safety for the temporary return of residents to inspect their homes in Lytton. In addition, on July 11, 2021, TC issued another Ministerial Order to enact immediate precautionary safety measures to further protect against wildfires in the context of extreme weather conditions. This Order remains in place while the Department works to integrate the permanent regulatory changes. 

  • On August 13, 2021, the Government of Canada announced $100 million in funding over five years, starting in 2021-2022 for Transport Canada to continue to advance the safe and secure transportation of people and goods by rail. This funding will be dedicated to a wide array of activities that will enable Transport Canada to:
    • invest in railway oversight to better address new and evolving risks to the safety and security of railway operations;
    • meaningfully engage with Indigenous communities to allow for the inclusion of Indigenous voices as we work together to ensure our rail system operates as safely and securely as possible across Canada;
    • undertake research and analysis to better identify risks and strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change and severe weather on the integrity and safety of critical railway infrastructure; and
    • provide additional funding to the ongoing success of the Rail Safety Improvement Program.

  • The work is now underway to implement these additional measures to further improve the safety of the rail system in Canada.

Messages

  • The Government of Canada continues to prioritize the safety and security of Canada’s railway network, recognizing the economic and social importance of our railway system in moving high volumes of Canadian goods to market and providing a dependable mode of travel to thousands of Canadians every day.

  • Transport Canada is taking action to further improve the safety and security of Canada’s rail system as part of a greater effort to modernize its approach, especially in light of the potential impacts of climate change and severe weather on railway operations.

  • Transport Canada is committed to engaging meaningfully with Indigenous groups on a path forward that respects Indigenous knowledge, needs, and priorities, as we work together to ensure our rail system operates safely and securely.