The RSIP is not accepting any applications for funding at this time.
Transport Canada's Rail Safety Improvement Program (RSIP) provides federal funding in the form of grants or contributions to provinces, territories, municipalities, and local governments, road and transit authorities, crown corporations, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations (including academia), Indigenous groups, communities and organizations and individuals/private landowners to help improve rail safety, contribute to increasing safety at grade crossings and along rail lines, address climate change resilience through the rehabilitation, mitigation, and/or prevention of the impacts of climate change/extreme weather along rail lines and rail property, and increase public confidence in Canada's rail transportation system.
With an increased overall funding level, the RSIP is now supporting a broadened scope of projects. The program provides a comprehensive approach to improving the safety of rail transportation across Canada.
Climate Change and Adaptation to Extreme Weather Infrastructure
The Climate Change and Adaptation to Extreme Weather Infrastructure component funds projects that:
- Support vulnerable infrastructure projects by ensuring resilience to extreme weather events and adaptation to climate change; and
- Address climate change resilience through the rehabilitation, mitigation, and/or prevention of the impacts of climate change/extreme weather along rail lines and rail property.
Projects may include the demonstration of structural adaptation measures such as repairing damage from significant weather events through erosion correction/controls and debris removal; changing the composition of road surfaces so that they do not deform in high temperatures; using permeable paving surfaces to reduce run-off during heavy rainfalls; and/or ecosystem-based approaches using natural infrastructure to design adaptation measures as key alternatives to be considered along structural adaptation measures.
Public Education and Awareness
Building on the positive results and lessons learned from existing programs such as Operation Lifesaver, Transport Canada funded eligible recipients through a ‘two-stream' approach, including:
- A national public information and education campaign dedicated to the reduction of railway grade crossing collisions and trespassing incidents on railway property; and
- Targeted regional or municipal education and awareness initiatives to address high-risk collision areas. This component is also used to support research, studies, and analyses that contribute to a better understanding of behaviour, attitudes, and impact of rail safety issues including post-accident community trauma assessment.
In 2020, Transport Canada funded the following three projects:
One project is providing almost $2 million in funding to Operation Lifesaver over three years to expand the reach of Canada's National Rail Safety Education and Awareness Program. The project incorporates several activities such as developing new virtual reality videos, new rail safety materials for kids, launching a national suicide prevention campaign, and engaging Indigenous communities.
The second project is providing more than $1 million in funding to Canadian Safety Train Express Inc. over three years to support the Railway Safety Learning Centre. The Centre is using the latest technology to engage the public into learning about railway safety (especially in Western Canada), including Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.
The third project is providing almost $25,000 to Northumberland County over two years to raise safety awareness at the Northumberland grade crossing. The aim is to educate the public, professional drivers (bus and trucking), and youth about new safety installments and dangers associated with trespassing on railway property.
Infrastructure, Technology and Research
The Infrastructure, Technology and Research component focused on addressing the needs of communities by making more safety improvements eligible and increasing federal investment. This component focused on supporting a wide range of eligible safety improvements, including improved lighting, upgraded rail crossing signals, pedestrian overpasses, and research into new safety technologies. Under the program, grant funding was provided to encourage the closure of high-risk crossings in addition to funding small-scale improvements.
In June 2022, the department announced almost $24 million to fund 147 projects in 2022-2023 under the Infrastructure, Technology and Research component:
|
Province |
Number of Approved Projects |
|---|---|
|
Alberta |
24 |
|
British Columbia |
11 |
|
Manitoba |
10 |
|
New Brunswick |
10 |
|
Newfoundland & Labrador |
0 |
|
Nova Scotia |
0 |
|
Ontario |
58 |
|
Quebec |
23 |
|
Saskatchewan |
11 |
|
Total |
147 |
If you have any questions about this program, please contact us by email.
Contact us
Email: TC.RSIP-PASF.TC@TC.GC.CA
ATTN: Director, Transportation and Infrastructure Programs (AHSE)
Transport Canada
Place de Ville, Tower C, 19th 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
Related services and information
- Apply for RSIP - Climate Change and Adaptation to Extreme Weather Infrastructure Funding (Call Closed)
- Apply for RSIP - Infrastructure, Technology and Research (Call Closed)
- Apply for RSIP - Education & Awareness Funding (Call Closed)
- RSIP - Infrastructure, Technology and Research Project Map
- RSIP - Infrastructure, Technology and Research Project Graphs
- RSIP - Education & Awareness projects