No. H156/05
For release - June 29, 2005
TORONTO — Joe Volpe, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and Minister Responsible for Ontario, on behalf of Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre today announced that the Government of Canada will provide $4,205,602 to improve safety at 30 railway crossings in Ontario. This funding is part of a federal contribution of over $11 million announced today to improve safety at 80 railway crossings in Canada. Since 1994, Transport Canada has committed more than $38 million to crossing improvement projects in Ontario.
"Although railway crossing fatalities and injuries have decreased over the past 10 years, further improvements at rail crossings are still necessary," said Mr. Volpe. "This funding will allow us to make significant safety improvements to a number of crossings in all parts of Ontario."
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.
"Preventing tragedy on railroad tracks is a shared responsibility," said Mr. Lapierre. "The Government of Canada provides funding for warning devices, such as lights, gates and bells, but depends on all Canadians to respect these warnings and approach rail crossings with added caution."
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 from the 1995 level by the year 2006.
Funding for the grade crossing improvement program was provided for in the February 2005 main estimates and is therefore built into the existing financial framework.
A backgrounder on railway crossing facts and a list of the crossings scheduled for improvement in Ontario are attached.
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Contacts:
Julie IannettaTransport CanadaCommunications, Toronto(416) 952-0156
Irène MarcheterreDirector of CommunicationsOffice of the Minister, Ottawa(613) 991-0700
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at www.tc.gc.ca/e-news and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada.
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BACKGROUNDERRAILWAY 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, accidents at crossings still account for almost half of the railway-related deaths and injuries each year. For this reason, improving safety at rail crossings remains one of Transport Canada's top priorities.
There were 237 crossing accidents across Canada in 2004. These accidents resulted in a total of 25 fatalities and 50 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.
June 2005
PROVINCELOCATIONROADIMPROVEMENTFEDERAL CONTRIBUTION
Ontario
St-Thomas
Ferguson Line, County Rd. 48
Automated warning system
$90,780
Ontario
Ottawa
O'Neil Rd.
Realignment
$266,826
Ontario
Ottawa
O'Neil Rd.
Gates and predictor
$163,604
Ontario
Ottawa
Dunrobin Rd.
Gates and lights
$128,200
Ontario
Brantford
Hardy Rd.
Traffic signal, widening, and interconnection to traffic signal system
$416,000
Ontario
Brantford
Hardy Rd.
Relocation of existing auto protection, long gates, cantilever and preemption
$649,980
Ontario
Monkland
King's Highway 138
Automated warning system
$38,804
Ontario
Monkland
King's Highway 138
Automated warning system
$9,064
Ontario
Shawanaga
Village Rd.
Widen road approach
$32,600
Ontario
Shawanaga
Village Rd.
Automated warning system and constant warning time device
$201,040
Ontario
Warren
Highway 17
Active advance warning sign and LED lights
$45,887
Ontario
Warren
Highway 17
Lights
$20,208
Ontario
Midhurst
County Rd. 28
Active advance warning sign and LED lights
$14,553
Ontario
Midhurst
County Rd. 28
Gates, extra lights and interconnection.
$85,360
Ontario
Sudbury (Coniston)
Highway 17
Active advance warning sign, LED lights
$40,820
Ontario
Sudbury (Coniston)
Highway 17
Lights and preemption
$45,887
Ontario
Kitchener
Glasgow St.
Gates and preemption
$191,640
Ontario
Baden (Wilmot)
Mill St.
Gates and predictor
$181,724
Ontario
Levack
Highway 144
Constant warning time device, interconnection
$178,960
Ontario
Levack
Highway 144
Constant warning time device
$45,888
Ontario
Kingston
Brockham Rd.
Relocate mast
$88,120
Ontario
Thunder Bay
Camelot St.
Constant warning time device and preemption
$110,400
Ontario
Thunder Bay
Camelot St.
Traffic signal interconnection, upgrade and widen sidewalks
$110,401
Ontario
Thunder Bay
Pearl St.
Constant warning time device with preemption
$212,000
Ontario
Thunder Bay
Pearl St.
Turning lane and sidewalks
$187,600
Ontario
Cobourg
D'Arcy St.
Pedestrian maze
$14,800
Ontario
Napanee
Townline Rd.
Road approaches
$119,610
Ontario
Napanee
Townline Rd.
Gates and lights
$282,360
Ontario
Tyendinaga
Mowbray Rd.
Gates, automated warning system and constant warning time device
$41,894
Ontario
Quinte West
2nd Dug Hill Rd.
Road approaches
$190,592
Total
$4,205,602
June 2005
