Apply for funding under the Rail Climate Change Adaptation Program (R-CCAP)

Canada's rail network and supply chains are facing complex risks due to climate change and extreme weather. Transport Canada's Rail Climate Change Adaptation Program was created to help Canada's rail sector research, develop, and implement innovative technologies, tools, and approaches to address these risks.

The Rail Climate Change Adaptation Program (R-CCAP) funds projects that focus on identifying climate change risks and/or reducing the impact of extreme weather on Canada’s rail sector.

Eligible Class I, Class II or Class III rail carriers can apply for up to $300,000 of funding per project:

• Class I rail carriers can be reimbursed for up to 50% of eligible expenses
• Shortline (Class II or Class III rail carriers) can be reimbursed for up to 80% of eligible expenses

On this page

• Before you apply
  • Eligibility for funding
  • Determine your project's category
  • Eligible expenses
  • Ineligible expenses
• Prepare your application
• Submit your application
• After you apply
• Contact Us

Before you apply

Your project must focus on identifying climate change risks and/or reducing the impact of extreme weather on Canada's rail sector.

You will need to identify all sources of funding (like in-kind or third party). Your application must include letters from partner organizations that confirm their financial support (including in-kind, which means it's paid in goods or services instead of money).

If your project is funded, payments will be made according to a schedule outlined in your contribution agreement.

NOTE: Projects can incur reimbursable eligible expenses once approved and confirmed in writing by Transport Canada.  However, Transport Canada needs a signed contribution agreement before issuing payments.

Eligibility for funding

Federally or provincially regulated railway companies incorporated in Canada are eligible for R-CCAP funding. Organizations that mainly operate tourist or commuter trains, like light rail transit, are not eligible.

Determine your project's category

Your project must align with at least one of the Project Categories listed in Table 1.

Table 1: Description and examples of Project Category 1, 2 and 3

Name of category	Description	Examples
Project Category 1 - Risk assessments	Research and engineering studies that help railways better understand the risks and impacts of climate change on their rail network and operations.	Research on the risk of flooding and/or atmospheric rivers to key rail corridors Research on fire risk and prevention  Research on debris flows resulting from intense rainfall events or rapid snow melt Research on local climate trend analysis and extreme weather event forecasting Developing risk assessment or contingency planning tools, codes, standards, and guidelines Engineering studies to assess the risks related to an individual railways' operating contexts and geographic areas
Project Category 2 - Monitoring techniques	Testing, piloting, and/or implementing innovative technologies or practices to improve how you monitor climate risks (like fires, flooding, vegetation conditions, landslides) on the rail network.	Use of drones to monitor water levels, fire risks, and/or landslide risks Use of ground penetrating radar to measure ballast and substructure conditions and drainage capacity Use of satellite technology to monitor water levels Use of high-precision Global Positioning Systems to monitor landslide risk or unexpected infrastructure movement Piloting technology to improve or automate detecting of fires/sparks from railway operations Use of innovative track inspection and imaging technologies Developing innovative machine learning algorithms and data processing systems/techniques to analyze data from monitoring technologies
Project Category 3 - Mitigation measures	Implementing and evaluating new designs or maintenance practices, technologies, or alternative materials to increase the resilience of Canada's rail network to climate change (like flooding, permafrost degradation, more extreme operational temperatures and temperature variations).	Testing geotextiles to improve drainage and/or stability issues Installing soil temperature sensors and thermosiphons (like a heat drain) on a section of track to reduce the impact of degrading permafrost Assessing culvert design standards and replacement/maintenance practices to account for higher flooding levels and/or risks Research that helps you develop or improve codes, standards, or guidelines to improve design, operating, or maintenance practices

Eligible expenses

Eligible expenses include:

• staff salaries and benefits
• purchasing and/or leasing capital assets, technology, equipment and supplies
• professional services, including engineering, accounting, translation, audit and consulting
• planning, design, and evaluation services
• engineering and environmental reviews and follow-up measures
• expenses related to building or rehabilitating assets (including fees paid to general contractors and labourers, materials, licenses, permits, and the rental of construction machinery and equipment)
• licenses and permits
• expenses for Indigenous consultations which could include expenses associated with meetings, travel costs, preparing consultation materials, honorariums (complimentary fees) for Indigenous persons, communication and translation costs
• administrative expenses (including general administration expenses, rent, insurance, office equipment rental, and membership fees). Overhead costs can't exceed 15% of Transport Canada's total contribution
• travel expenses (including the cost of accommodations, vehicle rental and kilometric rates, bus, train, airplane or taxi fares, allowances for meals and incidentals). Travel and per diem expenses can't exceed the rates and allowances listed in the National Joint Council's Travel Directive
• other costs that are, in the Minister's opinion (or the opinion of their delegated representative), considered to be direct, reasonable, and incremental for successfully implementing the project and have been approved in writing before being incurred
• drones (including buying, leasing, or contracting) may be eligible for funding if the Minister has agreed ahead of time and the drone is considered reasonable and directly-related to eligible project activities

Eligible expenditures can be cash-equivalent expenses related to in-kind (paid in goods or services instead of money) contributions. These expenses can be reimbursed when:

• the associated costs are deemed “eligible expenditures” and have been approved by Transport Canada, and
• the associated costs aren't a donation from a third party, and
• the associated costs are related to goods, services or other support that would otherwise be bought and paid for by the recipient as essential for the project

In-kind contributions from a third party are considered donations and may form part of the total eligible expenditures of the project, but can't be reimbursed.

You can find more information on in-kind contributions in the RSIP In-Kind Contribution - Recipient Information Package.

Ineligible expenses

The following expenses aren't eligible for funding, and won't be considered when we calculate of the total eligible expenses of your proposed project:

• costs incurred before the approval date, or after the final claim date
• provincial sales tax, Goods and Services Tax, or Harmonized Sales Tax where you're eligible for a rebate, and any other project expenses eligible for rebates
• buying land or buildings, real estate fees, or vehicles (other than drones)
• financing charges and interest payments on loans, and
• expenses that have been reimbursed from other sources of funding, federal statutes or funding programs

Prepare your application

Rail Climate Change Adaptation Program (R-CCAP) Project Proposal Template

Rail Climate Change Adaptation Program Budget and cash flow template

Request a copy of the R-CCAP applicant guide

You must provide legal documents that prove your organization is a legal entity (for example: letters of patent, certificate of incorporation or other such legal documents).

Your application must include:

• Title of project and executive summary
• Applicant information
  • Legal name of your organization
  • Name and position of the primary and secondary contacts for your organization
  • Email address
  • Contact information like office phone/email/website, etc.
• Organizational profile
  • Type of organization
  • Organizational structure and governance
  • Organizational activities
• Project personnel
  • Project manager
  • Proof of project manager's qualifications
  • Contact information (if different than your organization's)
• Project partners (employees, contractors, or organizations that are contributing expertise to the project)
  • Description of any partners involved in the project, including their legal name, address and point-of-contact
  • Explanation of how this collaboration adds value to the project
• Project team
  • Roles and responsibilities for each participant and partner
  • Proof of each project team members experience that relates to the project. This should be included as Annex A
• Declarations
  • Conflict of interest questionnaire
  • Declaration that attests to the accuracy of the application, and a commitment to execute the project, signed by an agent authorized to legally-bind the organization
• Project description
  • Eligibility information, goals, outcomes, how the project aligns with at least one Project Category and program goal, eligible activities
  • Location of project
  • Proposed start and end dates
  • Key activities and milestones and plan to share results
  • Description of how the project aligns with other prioritization criteria
  • Detailed work plan, risk assessment, and mitigation measures
• Contributions
  • List of all partners involved in the project and what they will contribute to the project, either financial or in-kind (paid in goods or services instead of money)
• Letters of financial support
  • Written confirmation and supporting documents from partner organizations that confirm their financial support 
• Legal documents
  • Copies of legal document that prove your organization is a legal entity. For example: Letters Patent, Articles and Certificate of incorporation, or other legal documents
• Annex A – Evidence of the Project Team's credentials (for example, their résumés)
• Annex B – Project budget and cash flow

Submit your application

We only accept applications via email.

To submit an application:

• Create a new email
• Add RailCCAP-PACCRFerroviaire@tc.gc.ca in the “To” field
• Write your organization's name and “TC2004” in the Subject line of the email
• Attach your application (including the project proposal and budget proposal) in either MS Word, MS Excel or PDF format
• Hit “Send”

You will receive an auto generated email that confirms your application has been received.

If you don't receive a confirmation email, it means that we didn't receive your application. In this case, please email RailCCAP-PACCRFerroviaire@tc.gc.ca for help.

After you apply

Once we evaluate your application, Transport Canada will notify you whether, or not, your project has been funded. We can choose to accept or reject any application.

Contact Us

Email: RailCCAP-PACCRFerroviaire@tc.gc.ca

ATTN: Director, Transportation and Infrastructure Programs (AHSE)
Transport Canada
Place de Ville, Tower C, 19^th Floor
330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N5

Alternative communication methods to TC General Enquiries:

Toll-free: 1-866-995-9737
Telephone: 613-990-2309
TTY: 1-888-675-6863
Facsimile: 613-954-4731