Transport Canada's Program to Enhance Rail Safety Engagement provides funding to increase capacity for Indigenous and local communities, organizations, and entities to engage with Transport Canada regarding the rail transportation system.
This program helps Indigenous and local communities participate in developing and improving Canada's rail transportation system through consulting, engaging, collaborating, participating, researching, or gathering community views.
NOTE: You can apply for funding to support short-term participation in event-driven engagement activities like meetings or discussion forums through the Community Participation Funding Program – Rail Safety.
On this page
- Funding
- Eligibility assessment criteria
- Project duration and approvals
- Merit selection criteria
- Notification
- Service standards
- Before you apply
- Apply for funding
Funding
Funding over a period of one year is available and all activities must be completed by March 31, 2024.
The maximum contribution per project is $150,000.00.
Eligibility assessment criteria
Eligible recipients
Eligible recipients must demonstrate that they are affected by rail transportation programs and policies.
Eligible recipients include:
- Indigenous governments*, nationally or regionally representative Indigenous organizations or governments
- “Indigenous governments” means:
- a band council within the meaning of Section 2 of the Indian Act, or
- a government or authority established pursuant to a Self-Government Agreement or a Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement between His Majesty the King in right of Canada and the Indigenous Peoples of Canada, that has been approved, given effect and declared valid by federal legislation, or
- a government or authority that has been declared valid by provincial or territorial legislation
- “Indigenous governments” means:
- Indigenous communities, bands, or settlements
- District Councils, Chiefs' Councils, and Tribal Councils
- Indigenous associations, organizations, and societies
- Indigenous commissions, councils, authorities, and boards
- Indigenous economic institutions, organizations, corporations, and co-operatives
- Local communities
- Not-for-profit organizations
- Partnerships or aggregations of Indigenous groups
Eligible activities
Eligible activities should help develop, improve and/or implement rail transportation strategies and policies.
Eligible activities include:
- holding discussions to address gaps in community and Indigenous engagement on rail safety
- engaging at the local and regional level on Indigenous and local communities' representation in rail safety
- researching the impact rail lines have on communities or traditional territories
Examples of eligible activities include:
- hiring a professional services or a liaison officer to coordinate and work with one or more communities to gather and compile input
- hiring a technical consultant to provide expertise
- preparing, participating, or coordinating consultations (e.g., meetings, online/written submissions, discussion groups) related to your project proposal
- sharing information and Indigenous knowledge on the impact of proposed policies, programs, processes, directives, regulations or legislation on Indigenous communities
Eligible expenses
Eligible expenses include:
- staff salaries and benefits
- professional fees (fees for contracted services)
- room rentals and other facility costs
- public outreach, communications materials and associated activity costs
- honoraria
- travel expenses, including hotel accommodation, car rental and kilometric rates, bus, train, ferry, airplane fares, costs for meals and incidentals (basing rates on the Travel Directive of the National Joint Council)
- administrative expenses for up to 15% of total costs (including general administration expenses, translation, rent, insurance, office equipment rental and membership fees)
Ineligible expenses
Expenses that are not eligible for funding include:
- costs incurred before the funding approval date or after the final claim date
- expenses for provincial sales tax and the GST or HST, where applicable, for which the recipient is eligible for a rebate, or any other costs eligible for rebates
- purchase of land and/or building, and related to real estate fees
- financing charges and interest payments on loans
- travel and per diem expenses over and above rates listed in the Travel Directive of the National Joint Council
Project duration and approvals
Projects can start incurring costs on the date they are approved by the Minister, and must be completed by March 31, 2024
Projects can start incurring costs once they're approved by the Minister, but reimbursements will not be provided until a funding agreement is signed.
Merit selection criteria
Transport Canada will assess project proposals to determine if they meet the eligibility assessment criteria. If eligible, the proposed projects will then be assessed against the merit selection criteria described below.
Applicants must provide the information listed below.
Relevance of the project
How closely the proposed project corresponds to the PERSE objectives:
- Provides funding for capacity building among Indigenous and local communities, organizations, and entities to participate in rail safety initiatives
- Supports activities that allow eligible recipients to participate in developing and improving Canada's rail safety system through consulting, engaging, collaborating, participating, researching, or gathering community views.
Applicant's relevant experience and funding history
How likely is it that you or your organization will complete the proposed project?
More specifically, Transport Canada will consider your:
- mandate, experience and/or expertise
- demonstrated commitment based on past or current projects
- institutional, management/organizational structures, financial controls and other support you would need to successfully deliver the project
Project objectives and workplan
Are your activities, schedule, budget, targeted results, roles and responsibilities clear, realistic and consistent with the project's goals?
Does your application include:
- clearly stated goals, objectives and outcomes
- a realizable project plan, concrete deliverables, budget and timelines
- a detailed risk analysis and mitigation strategy
- an experienced and qualified project delivery team with roles and responsibilities clearly established
Value for money
Does the proposal efficiently use resources? Do you have plans for producing outputs in an affordable way?
Other criteria
- Transport Canada may also consider regional representation and balance when distributing funding across Canada.
Notification
After your project proposal has been assessed, you will be informed if you have been chosen for funding or not. Transport Canada can accept or reject any project proposal.
Service Standards
In an effort to continually improve service and conduct a transparent process, Transport Canada has set the following service standards:
- We will send you written confirmation that we've received your application and/or project proposal within 10 business days of the application deadline
- We will issue payments within 20 business days of you notifying us that you have fulfilled the requirements outlined in the funding agreement
Note: If the program cannot meet these standards, we will tell you as soon as possible.
Before you apply
The following sections detail the documents you must include in your proposal.
The application package must include the following:
- Title of project and executive summary
- Applicant information
- Legal name of the organization
- Name and position of the primary contact for applicant organization
- Mailing address for all correspondence
- Contact information such as office phone/fax numbers, email/Internet address, etc.
- Organizational profile
- Type of organization
- Organizational structure and governance
- History
- Mandate
- Activities
- Project management personnel
- Each project must have a designated project manager. Please include their contact information (if different from applicant organization)
- Declarations
- Conflict of interest questionnaire
- Declaration by applicant organization attesting to the accuracy of the project proposal and the commitment of the organization to carry out the project signed by an authorized agent
- Project description
- Project goals
- Location of project
- Proposed start and end dates
- Major activities for the project
- Project work plan
- Partners and contributions (if applicable)
- Ultimate recipient information
- Risk assessment and mitigation measures
- Communications plan (if applicable)
- Letters of support, including financial support (if applicable)
- Project budget
Note: The project proposal template and budget template are attached to the invitation. We strongly recommend that you use these templates for your project proposal.
Apply for funding
You must submit your application by February 16, 2023. We will not consider applications we receive after this date.
All applications and project proposals must be signed, complete, accurate, comprehensive and presented using the templates provided. You must provide legal documentation that confirms your organization is a legal entity (for example, using letters of patent, certificates of incorporation or other such legal documents).
Missing or incomplete information will make it harder for us to process your application and it could be rejected.
An application package may be submitted by email. To keep the selection process transparent and fair, we won't grant extensions.
Submit your application by email
Email your application in MS Word, MS Excel or PDF format to: ProgramEnhanceRSEngagement-ProgrammeAmeliorerMobilisationSF@tc.gc.ca.