No. H 168/09
For release - December 9, 2009
OTTAWA — Canada's Transport Minister John Baird today announced more than $1.7 million in additional support for Operation Lifesaver, a national program that reduces railway-related deaths and injuries.
"Our government is committed to transportation initiatives that ensure the safety and security of Canadians," said Baird.
Each year in Canada, people die or are injured needlessly in railway crossing collisions and trespassing incidents on railway property. Operation Lifesaver provides vital rail safety information to the public so people know how to proceed safely when approaching railway property.
Operation Lifesaver is a public education program that aims to increase public awareness of the potential risks of highway-railway crossings, and to urge drivers and pedestrians to be cautious when near them. The program also informs the public of the dangers of trespassing on railway property. The goal is to reduce the number of incidents that result in death, injury and property damage.
The program was co-founded by Transport Canada and the Railway Association of Canada in 1981. It is supported by Canada's railways, as well as various police services, safety councils and leagues, unions, community groups and over 300 volunteer presenters from coast to coast.
Transport Canada works actively in many ways to improve rail safety in Canada. The government recently announced an additional $28 million over five years for the Grade Crossing Improvement Program to make railway crossings across the country safer. Part of the government's Economic Action Plan, these funds were announced in Budget 2009 and complement the more than $7.1 million Transport Canada has already invested in railway crossing improvement projects this year.
For more information on Operation Lifesaver, visit www.operationlifesaver.ca/.
Backgrounders on Operation Lifesaver, and railway crossing facts and tips are attached.
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Operation Lifesaver is a public education program to increase public awareness of the potential risks of highway-railway crossings, and to urge drivers and pedestrians to be cautious when near them. The program also informs the public of the dangers of trespassing on railway property. The goal is to reduce the number of incidents that result in death, injury and property damage.
Co-founded by the Railway Association of Canada and Transport Canada in 1981, this partnership initiative is guided by the National Operation Lifesaver Advisory Committee. The committee advises the national director on the development and implementation of the program, and is chaired by representatives of Transport Canada and the Railway Association of Canada. Other members of the committee include representatives from the Canada Safety Council, CN, CP, VIA Rail Canada, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Sûreté du Québec, GO Transit and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference.
Operation Lifesaver's strength lies in the cooperation between government, law enforcement, the railways and community stakeholders. The program brings together all federal, provincial and municipal authorities, law enforcement agencies, railways and their unions, and various public safety organizations in a nationwide effort to reduce death, injury and property damage resulting from railway-related incidents. The participation of all these members is essential to the success of the program. Similar Operation Lifesaver programs exist in the United States, Mexico, Argentina, England and Australia.
To achieve its goals, Operation Lifesaver focuses on education, enforcement and engineering:
- Education — Operation Lifesaver educates people of all ages about the potential dangers at highway-railway crossings and the seriousness of trespassing on railway property. Outreach methods include producing and distributing educational materials; giving safety presentations to schools, industries and community groups; and staging media events.
- Enforcement — Operation Lifesaver promotes enforcement of laws relating to driver and pedestrian responsibilities at highway-railway crossings and on railway property. The program works with law enforcement agencies to raise public awareness of the dangers near railway property.
- Engineering — Operation Lifesaver promotes research to ensure a high level of safety at railway crossings and on railway property. Operation Lifesaver also informs the public of federal, provincial and other programs to improve railway safety.
December 2009
