No. H084/04 For release October 29, 2004 OTTAWA - Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre today announced that the Government of Canada will provide more than $10 million to improve safety at 92 railway crossings across Canada. Since 1994, Transport Canada has contributed more than $100 million to such projects throughout the country. "Canada maintains one of the safest rail systems in the world - and we are committed to further improving this system," said Mr. Lapierre. "That is why we are working with rail companies and communities to help reduce crossing accidents, injuries and fatalities across Canada." Under Transport Canada's grade crossing improvement program, eligible railway crossings are either upgraded, relocated or closed. Improvements may include installing flashing lights and gates, adding gates or extra lights to existing systems, linking crossing signals to nearby traffic lights, modifying operating circuits, or adding new circuits or timing devices. The department finances up to 80 per cent of the total cost of the improvements, with the balance provided by the railways, municipalities or provinces and territories. "Although accident rates and crossing fatalities in Canada have decreased over the last 10 years, accidents at railway crossings resulted in 26 fatalities and 51 serious injuries in 2003," said Mr. Lapierre. "It is necessary to continue highlighting the importance of exercising caution when nearing and crossing railways." For this reason, Transport Canada supports two other initiatives to improve safety at railway crossings: Operation Lifesaver, a public education program of the Railway Association of Canada that has promoted safety at railway crossings since 1981; and Direction 2006, a partnership of governments, railway companies and their unions working to reduce collisions and trespassing incidents by 50 per cent by the year 2006. Funding for the grade crossing improvement program was provided for in the February 2003 budget and is therefore built into the existing financial framework. A backgrounder and a list of the crossings scheduled for improvement are attached. -30- Contacts: Irène Marcheterre Director of Communications Office of the Minister, Ottawa (613) 991-0700 Cathy Cossaboom Transport Canada Communications, Ottawa (613) 993-0055 Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada. This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities. BACKGROUNDER RAILWAY CROSSING FACTS Transport Canada has a permanent safety inspection program to monitor railway crossings and compliance with standards under the Railway Safety Act, and to identify areas for improvement. The Transport Canada grade crossing improvement program contributes approximately $7.5 million over the course of each year to improve safety at rail crossings across Canada. Funding decisions are based on pre-established regional accident and serious injury criteria over a five-year period, and funding is allocated to various regions at different times of the year. Although rail-related accident rates and crossing fatalities have decreased over the last 10 years, improving safety at rail crossings is one of Transport Canada's top priorities, as accidents at crossings account for almost half of the railway-related deaths and injuries each year. There were 248 crossing collisions across Canada in 2003. These accidents resulted in a total of 26 fatalities and 51 serious injuries. Passenger trains travel at speeds of up to 160 km/h and freight trains can reach 105 km/h. It can take a train more than one minute to come to a complete stop. For example, in perfect weather, an 88 car freight train weighing 13,000 tonnes and travelling 96 km/h would cover about two kilometres before stopping. In addition to funding up to 80 per cent of improvements to eligible crossings, Transport Canada works with the Railway Association of Canada on Operation Lifesaver, a public education program. Transport Canada also participates in Direction 2006, a partnership among all levels of government, railway companies and unions with a goal of reducing grade crossing collisions and trespassing incidents by 50 per cent by the year 2006. October 2004 PROVINCE LOCATION ROAD IMPROVEMENT FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION British Columbia Abbotsford McCallum Road Flashing lights, bells, gates and constant warning time device $205,040 British Columbia Chilliwack McGrath Road Gates $120,320 British Columbia Chilliwack Nevin Road Gates $69,360 British Columbia Langley 96th Avenue Flashing lights, bells and gates $127,040 Alberta Canyon Creek Seppola Drive Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Donnelly Highway 2 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Girouxville Secondary Highway 44 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Hawkhills Secondary Road 692 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta High Level Highway 35 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta High Level Highway 58 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta High Prairie 48th Street Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta High Prairie Highway 2 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Hotchkiss Highway 35 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Joussard Highway 2 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Kemp River Highway 35 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Kenzie Highway 2 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Lacombe Highway 12 Constant warning time device and advance pre-emption $117,600 Alberta Lloydminster 52nd Avenue Flashing lights, bells, gates, and motion sensing device $128,000 Alberta Marie-Reine Secondary Road 744 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Meikle River Highway 36 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Mitsue Highway 2 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Mitsue Highway 2A Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Penhold Springbrook Road Gates and motion sensing device $176,800 Alberta Slave Lake Highway 88 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Slave Lake Main Street Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Slavey Creek Highway 35 Stick circuit timers $712 Alberta Tofield Range Road 191 Flashing lights, bells, gates and constant warning time device $206,320 Northwest Territories Enterprise Highway 1 Stick circuit timers $712 Saskatchewan Watrous Municipal Road Crossing relocation $9,480 Saskatchewan Watrous Municipal Road Automated warning system, constant warning time device and gates $209,120 Manitoba Anola Monominto Road Flashing lights, bells, gates and grade crossing predictor $166,880 Manitoba Anola Stoneridge Road Flashing lights, bells, gates and grade crossing predictor $231,680 Manitoba Carberry Highway 5 Gates and constant warning time device $211,200 Manitoba Dauphin Highway 5 and Highway 10 (Main Street) Interconnection and backup battery $77,838 Manitoba Dauphin Highway 5 and Highway 10 (Main Street) Gates and constant warning time device $198,240 Manitoba La Broquerie Rue Principale Diversion Road $203,120 Manitoba Lorette Provincial Road 206 Gates and motion sensing device $136,480 Manitoba Lorette Station Road Flashing lights, bells, gates and grade crossing predictors $231,680 Manitoba MacGregor Pathead Road Flashing lights, bells, gates and grade crossing predictors $221,440 Manitoba Pipun (Wabowden) Highway 373 Two flashing light signals, bell and AC/DC-type track circuits $131,140 Manitoba Ste-Rita Ducharme Road Flashing lights, bells, gates and grade crossing predictors $144,800 Manitoba Winnipeg Highway 100 Active advance warning signals $88,395 Manitoba Winnipeg Highway 100 Four gates, constant warning time device and advance pre-emption $244,000 Manitoba Winnipeg McGillivary Boulevard Four gates, cantilever, bells, back lights and constant warning time device $286,480 Ontario Alexandria St. Michael Street Short arm gates $114,480 Ontario Bala (Township Muskoka Lakes) Gordon Street Extra flashing light units and gates $138,960 Ontario Barwick Main Street Gates and grade crossing predictors $228,080 Ontario Bothwell Road 6 Flashing lights, bells and gates $190,455 Ontario Brantford Hardy Road Flashing lights and grade crossing predictors $60,772 Ontario Brantford Stanley Street Lights, light-emitting diode $6,790 Ontario Burwash Trout Lake Road Flashing lights, gates, constant warning time device and motion sensing device (on siding) $248,320 Ontario Grimsby Baker Road Flashing lights, bells and short arm gates $291,600 Ontario Ingersoll Thames Street Lights and change mast $11,948 Ontario Kingston Counter Street Grade crossing predictors $356,320 Ontario London Burwell Street Removal of crossing $50,820 Ontario London Second Street Gates and grade crossing predictors $152,960 Ontario New Hamburg Waterloo Street Gates and advance pre-emption $220,710 Ontario Nipigon Fifth Street Gates and constant warning time device $308,160 Ontario North Elmsley Armstrong Road Flashing lights, bells, gates and constant warning time device $215,680 Ontario Perth Drummond Street Roadwork $27,080 Ontario Petawawa Murphy Road Gates and constant warning time device $147,200 Ontario Pickering Rosebank Road Gates and constant warning time device $194,960 Ontario Pickering Townline Road Gates and constant warning time device $64,720 Ontario Plympton-Wyoming Stewardson Road Approaches $51,752 Ontario Plympton-Wyoming Minielly Road Level section and widening $73,705 Ontario Plympton-Wyoming South Plympton Road Level section and widening $77,997 Ontario Plympton-Wyoming Fairweather Road Level section and widening $96,613 Ontario Port Hope Hope Street Gates and constant warning time device $211,280 Ontario Rutter Highway 64 Gates and constant warning time device $64,120 Ontario Schrieber Main Street Diversion road $261,216 Ontario Simcoe-Grey Baldwick Lane Flashing light signals, bells, gates and constant warning time device $238,800 Ontario Spence County Road #10 Gates, constant warning time device and extra flashing light units $202,640 Ontario Toronto Old Weston Road Extra flashing light units and bells $12,640 Ontario Township of Champlain Aberdeem Road East Lights $3,094 Ontario Township of Champlain Greenlane Road West Lights $2,520 Ontario Township of Champlain Happy Hollow Road Lights $2,958 Ontario Township of Champlain MacCallum's Lane Lights $3,118 Ontario Township of Champlain Pleasant Corners Road Lights $3,147 Ontario Upsala Graham Road Flashing light signals, bells, gates and motion sensing device $268,000 Quebec Arntfield Highway 117 Active advance warning sign $13,150 Quebec Arntfield Highway 117 Prepare-to-stop sign $38,465 Quebec Bury Highway 108 Cantilevers and gates $64,856 Quebec Causapscal Rue St-Jean Baptiste Gates and additional flashing lights $130,360 Quebec Charrette Route 351 12-foot cantilevers and gates $149,760 Quebec Rimouski Rue de la Gare Gates and automated warning system $84,069 Quebec Sainte-Angèle-de Prémont Route 350 Gates $151,840 Quebec Sainte-Élisabeth Route 345 (Chemin sud de la rivière) 20-foot cantilevers and gates $166,240 Quebec Sainte-Élisabeth Chemin Sainte-Élisabeth 20-foot cantilevers and gates $129,840 Quebec Sainte-Marie-Salomé Rue Montcalm 20-foot cantilevers and gates $168,160 Quebec Saint-Paulin Chemin de la Concession Flashing lights, bells and gates $150,320 Quebec Saint-Paulin Route 349 12-foot cantilevers and gates $146,560 Quebec Sainte-Ursule Route 348 20-foot cantilevers and gates $170,960 Total $10,124,948
