A Railway Operating Certificate is an official document issued by Transport Canada, under the authority of the Railway Safety Act, to authorize a railway company or local railway company to operate in Canada.
Companies apply for a Railway Operating Certificate by completing an application form and submitting it to Transport Canada.
Below is a list of railway companies and local railway companies that have been issued a Railway Operating Certificate.
Since January 1, 2015, new companies must obtain a Railway Operating Certificate prior to commencing operations in Canada. Existing companies have a two-year grace period, until January 1, 2017, to obtain a Railway Operating Certificate.
For more information about Railway Operating Certificates, please consult our Frequently Asked Questions.
Company Name |
Company Type |
Types of Operations |
Issue Date |
---|---|---|---|
Agawa Canyon Railroad, ULC | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2021-11-03 |
Magris Talc Canada Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2021-07-23 |
Inter Pipeline Propylene Ltd. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2021-03-19 |
Algoma Steel Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2020-07-24 |
Celanese Canada ULC | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2020-07-24 |
Windsor Transload Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2020-07-10 |
BioPower Sustainable Energy Corporation | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2019-12-20 |
St. Paul & Pacific Northwest Railroad Company, LLC | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight & Operation and maintenance of line work | 2018-12-28 |
Maska-Wa Transportation Association Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers | 2018-07-16 |
GIO Railways Corporation | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2018-06-29 |
Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2018-05-18 |
The Vintage Locomotive Society Inc. O/A Prairie Dog Central Railway | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers | 2017-05-09 |
White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad | Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers Operations and maintenance of line work | 2018-07-31 |
Réseau de transport métropolitain | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers | 2017-04-26 |
The Toronto Terminals Railway Company Limited | Railway Company | Operation and Maintenance of Line Work | 2016-12-29 |
Trillium Railway Co. Ltd. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-12-22 |
Great Sandhills Railway Ltd. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-12-22 |
Union Pacific Railroad Company | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-12-22 |
9961526 Canada Limited | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight/Operation and Maintenance of line work | 2016-12-21 |
Ontario Northland Transportation Commission | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-12-13 |
RTC Rail Solutions Ltd. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-12-12 |
Source Energy Services Canadian Logistics LP GP Ltd. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2018-07-10 (Railway Operating Certificate no longer valid as of July 10, 2018. The company has stopped operating.) |
BNSF Railway Company | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Operations and maintenance of line work |
2016-11-25 |
Torch River Rail Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-11-25 |
Eastern Maine Railway Company | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight, Operation and Maintenance of Line Work | 2016-11-16 |
Metrolinx | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers | 2016-11-16 |
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) | Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers | 2016-11-14 |
Norfolk Southern Railway Company | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight, Operation and Maintenance of Line Work | 2016-11-09 |
VIA Rail Canada Inc. | Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers, Operation and Maintenance of Line Work | 2016-11-09 |
City of Ottawa carrying on business as Capital Railway | Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers, Operation and Maintenance of Line Work | 2016-10-27 |
Last Mountain Railway | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-10-27 |
Big Sky Railway Corp. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-10-27 |
Lake Line Railroad Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-10-27 |
Canfor Pulp Ltd. – Northwood Division | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-10-13 |
Cando Rail & Terminals Ltd. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2018-11-07 (New Certificate issued March 31, 2021) |
Nipissing Central Railway | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight, Operation and Maintenance of Line Work | 2016-09-30 |
Central Maine and Quebec Railway Canada Inc. | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight, Operation and Maintenance of Line Work | 2016-09-16 (Railway Operating Certificate no longer valid as of March 22, 2021) |
Stewart Southern Railway Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-09-16 |
Battle River Railway NGC Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-09-16 |
Essar Steel Algoma Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-09-13 (Railway Operating Certificate no longer valid as of July 24, 2020) |
Société du chemin de fer de la Gaspésie | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-09-13 |
Railserve Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-09-09 |
Southern Rails Co-operative Ltd. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-09-02 |
Keewatin Railway Company | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers, Transportation of Freight | 2016-08-26 |
Chemin de fer Sartigan | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-08-15 |
West Coast Express Limited | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers | 2016-08-15 |
Huron Central Railway Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-07-16 |
RaiLink Canada Ltd. | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Operation and Maintenance of Line Work | 2016-07-14 |
Transport Ferroviaire Tshiuetin Inc. | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Operation and Maintenance of Line Work Transportation of Passengers | 2016-07-14 |
Cargill Limited – Cargill Limitée | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-07-14 |
Southern Railway of British Columbia Limited | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-07-07 |
Goderich-Exeter Railway Company Limited | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Operation and Maintenance of Line Work Transportation of Passengers | 2016-07-05 |
Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia Railway Ltd. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-06-22 |
Knob Lake and Timmins Railway Company Inc. | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Operation and Maintenance of Line Work |
2016-06-22 |
Great Canadian Railtour Company Ltd. | Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers Operation and Maintenance of Line Work |
2016-06-21 |
Central Manitoba Railway Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2018-11-07 |
Ontario Southland Railway Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-06-21 |
Chemin de fer de Québec-Gatineau Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-06-20 |
St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad (Québec) Inc. | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Operation and Maintenance of Line Work |
2016-06-20 |
Hudson Bay Railway Company | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Transportation of Passengers Operation and Maintenance of Line Work |
2018-08-31 |
Carlton Trail Railway Company | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-06-20 |
Kettle Falls International Railway Company | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Operation and Maintenance of Line Work |
2016-06-20 |
Compagnie du Chemin de fer Roberval Saguenay | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-06-06 |
CSX Transportation, Inc. | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Operation and Maintenance of Line Work |
2016-06-03 |
Logistec Stevedoring (Nova Scotia) Inc. also carrying on business as Sydney Coal Railway | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Operation and Maintenance of Line Work |
2018-07-28 (Railway Operating Certificate no longer valid as of July 28, 2018. The company has stopped operating.) |
The Essex Terminal Railway Company | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Operation and Maintenance of Line Work |
2016-06-02 |
Canadian National Railway Company | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Transportation of Passengers Operation and Maintenance of Line Work |
2016-05-30 |
Agence Métropolitaine de Transport | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers | 2017-06-01 (Railway Operating Certificate no longer valid as of June 1, 2017. The company has stopped operating.) |
RTK WP2 Canada Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-04-08 |
Koch Fertilizer Canada, ULC | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2016-03-07 |
Chemin de fer Orford Express Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers | 2016-01-20 |
Rio Tinto Alcan | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2015-12-02 |
Minnesota Dakota & Western Railway Company | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2015-11-13 |
Great Western Railway, Ltd. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2015-11-03 |
West Coast Railway Association | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers | 2015-10-08 |
Québec North Shore & Labrador Railway | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Transportation of Passengers Operation and Maintenance of Line Work |
2015-10-08 |
Boundary Trail Railway Company, Inc. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2015-10-01 |
Prairie Rail Solutions Ltd. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2015-08-18 |
Thunder Rail Ltd. | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Freight | 2015-08-18 |
Canadian Pacific Railway Company | Railway Company | Transportation of Freight Transportation of Passengers Operation and Maintenance of Line Work |
2015-07-23 |
Kamloops Heritage Railway Society | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers | 2015-05-15 |
Railmark Canada Limited | Local Railway Company | Transportation of Passengers | 2016-09-02 (Railway Operating Certificate no longer valid as of September 2, 2016. |