The Passenger Rail Transportation Security Regulations were registered on October 6, 2020. These regulations help make passenger rail more secure in Canada.
If you’re a host company, passenger company or small passenger company and operate on a federally-regulated track, then these regulations apply to you. This page explains the requirements you must follow.
On this page
- Who needs to follow the regulations?
- Requirements
- Coming into force dates
- Notice of proposed changes
- Contact us
Who needs to follow the regulations?
The regulations apply to three kinds of companies:
- A host company is a railway company that allows a passenger company to transport passengers on its railway
- Learn more about the requirements for host company, by reviewing our Host Company Fact Sheet
- A passenger company is a railway company whose operations include transporting passengers by rail
- Learn more about the requirements for passenger company, by reviewing our Passenger Company Fact Sheet
- A small passenger company is a passenger company that has transported less than 60,000 passengers in one of the last two calendar years.
- Learn more about the requirements for small passenger company, by reviewing our Small Passenger Company Fact Sheet
Requirements
The regulations require passenger companies and host companies to manage security risks by creating specific security practices.
All companies (passenger and host companies) must:
- designate a rail security coordinator to be responsible for security matters
- To help meet this requirement, you can use the Rail Security Coordinator Form
- If this information changes, please send the updated contact information to the Intermodal Surface Security Oversight by e-mail at TC.Railsecurity-sureteferroviaire.TC@tc.gc.ca so that we can update the information
- report threats and other security concerns to the Transport Canada Situation Centre by emailing TC.SitcenHQ-CentredinterventionAC.TC@tc.gc.ca, or by calling 1-613-995-9737 or toll-free at 1-888-857-4003
- To learn more, read our Rail Security Reporting Guidance document. For a copy of the guidance document, please contact Intermodal Surface Security Oversight by e-mail at TC.Railsecurity-sureteferroviaire.TC@tc.gc.ca
- Use our Rail Security Reporting Template to report security incidents
- provide security awareness training
- To learn more, read our guidance document on Security Awareness Training under the Passenger Rail Transportation Security Regulations. For a copy of the guidance document, please contact Intermodal Surface Security Oversight by e-mail at TC.Railsecurity-sureteferroviaire.TC@tc.gc.ca
All passenger companies must also:
- conduct security inspections on the outside of each passenger train and inside each car
- To learn more, read our guidance document on Conducting Security Inspections. For a copy of the guidance document, please contact Intermodal Surface Security Oversight by e-mail at TC.Railsecurity-sureteferroviaire.TC@tc.gc.ca
Passenger companies, other than small passenger companies, must also:
- conduct a security risk assessment
- develop and put in place a security plan
- provide security plan training, and
- conduct security exercises
- To learn more, read our guidance documents titled Security Risk Assessments, Security Plans and Security Plan Training under the Passenger Rail Transportation Security Regulations and Guidance for Passenger Companies on Conducting Security Exercises under the Passenger Rail Transportation Security Regulations. For a copy of the guidance documents and associated templates, please contact Intermodal Surface Security Oversight by e-mail at TC.Railsecurity-sureteferroviaire.TC@tc.gc.ca
More guidance materials to help passenger companies and host companies meet these requirements will be available in the coming months.
Coming into force dates
Passenger company, other than a small passenger company
| Requirement | Comes into force on |
|---|---|
| Rail Security Coordinator | October 6, 2020 |
| Rail Security Reporting | October 6, 2020 |
| Security Awareness Training | January 6, 2021 |
| Security Inspections | January 6, 2021 |
| Security Risk Assessment | July 6, 2021 |
| Security Plan | July 6, 2021 |
| Security Plan Training | January 6, 2022 |
| Security Exercises | January 6, 2022 |
Small passenger company
| Requirement | Comes into force on |
|---|---|
| Rail Security Coordinator | October 6, 2020 |
| Rail Security Reporting | October 6, 2020 |
| Security Awareness Training | January 6, 2021 |
| Security Inspections | January 6, 2021 |
Host company
| Requirement | Comes into force on |
|---|---|
| Rail Security Coordinator | October 6, 2020 |
| Rail Security Reporting | October 6, 2020 |
| Security Awareness Training | January 6, 2021 |
Notice of proposed changes to the Railway Safety Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations
Transport Canada wants to designate all requirements of the Passenger Rail Transportation Security Regulations in Schedule 1 of the Railway Safety Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations. Designating these security requirements would give us more tools to make sure that railways comply with the passenger regulations and address situations where railways don’t comply with the passenger regulations.
Transport Canada issues railway administrative monetary penalties (fines) to individuals and corporations that violate the Railway Safety Act, or regulations and rules made under the act. Transport Canada uses a graduated enforcement approach to deal with these situations. Penalties are based on the severity of the violation. The maximum penalty is $50,000 for an individual and $250,000 for a corporation.
Transport Canada is also proposing to designate parts of the Railway Safety Act (namely sections 26.1 and 26.2, and subsection 40.11(5)), in Schedule 1 of the Railway Safety Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations. This will also give us more tools to deal with the growing number of security incidents that involve the railway system.
We are interested in receiving your feedback or questions at this early stage of developing this regulatory proposal. Please submit your feedback by email before March 1, 2022 to: TC.Railsecurity-sureteferroviaire.TC@tc.gc.ca.
We will continue to provide updates as we proceed through the next steps of the regulatory process, including the proposal being pre-published in Canada Gazette, Part I, where there will be further opportunity to comment.
Contact us
For more information, please contact Intermodal Surface Security Oversight by e-mail: TC.Railsecurity-sureteferroviaire.TC@tc.gc.ca.