Apply for funding under the Climate Change and Adaptation to Extreme Weather Infrastructure component of the Rail Safety Improvement Program

The RSIP is not accepting any applications for funding at this time.

The Climate Change and Adaptation to Extreme Weather Infrastructure component of the Rail Safety Improvement Program (RSIP) funds rail safety improvements that:

  • support vulnerable infrastructure by ensuring resilience to extreme weather events and adaptation to climate change; and/or
  • 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.

Note: Projects that address climate change and a rail safety component will be prioritized for funding consideration in this call. Please refer to the Eligible Projects criteria below.

1 Eligibility for funding

Eligible recipients include:

  • provinces and territories.
  • municipalities and local and regional governments.
  • road and transit authorities.
  • Crown corporations (including VIA Rail).
  • for-profit organizations (such as railway operators, railway owners).
  • not-for-profit organizations (including academia).
  • Indigenous groups, communities, and organizations.
  • individuals/private landowners.

2 Eligible projects

Your project is eligible for this funding if it aims to:

  • support vulnerable infrastructure by ensuring resilience to extreme weather events and adaptation to climate change; and/or
  • 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

Project categories and examples include:

  • Rehabilitate the impacts of climate change/extreme weather.
    • Examples: Repairing damage from significant weather events to increase safety, such as erosion correction/controls to mitigate flood damage, debris removal following extreme windstorms or forest fires and repairs to damaged rail infrastructure following extreme windstorms, forest fires and floods.
  • Mitigate the impacts of climate change/extreme weather.
    • Examples: Increasing resilience of vulnerable infrastructure to increase safety, such as using permeable paving surfaces to reduce run-off during heavy rainfalls, installing soil stabilization measures such as dykes or retaining walls, and improving track health including localised ballastless track upgrades and reduction of shoulder slope.
  • Prevent the impacts of climate change/extreme weather to increase safety.
    • Examples: Providing adaptation/environmental benefits such as reductions in noise and/or vibration, the preservation of wildlife and habitat, structural adaptation measures such as changing the composition of road surfaces so that they do not deform in high temperatures, or ecosystem-based approaches using natural infrastructure to design adaptation measures.

For further examples see the RSIP Applicant's Guide.

3 Funding information

Project durations can span one, two, or three years, as determined by the project scope and complexity.

The percentage of federal funding to be provided under the RSIP will be based on the type of recipient, as follows:

  • VIA Rail and for-profit organizations: up to 50% of total eligible expenditures for any one completed project.
  • All other recipients (including shortline railways and private landowners): up to 80% of total eligible expenditures for any one completed project when VIA Rail or a for-profit organization (not including shortlines) did not contribute to the project. More detail is available in the RSIP Applicant's Guide.

* The maximum contribution amount payable per recipient shall not exceed $10,000,000 per fiscal year.

* A fiscal year is the period used by the government for accounting and financial purposes. It starts on April 1st of every year and ends March 31st of the subsequent year.

4 How to apply

The RSIP is not accepting any applications for funding at this time.

Applicants must apply using the online application portal.

Before starting an application please reference the Applicant's Guide  for detailed instructions on portal functionality and GCKey registration. If the portal cannot be used for any reason or if you have any questions or concerns, contact us at TC.RSIP-PASF.TC@TC.GC.CA and we will provide an alternate application option, and/or address any concerns.