Important changes to the Railway Safety Act were tabled today, June 4, 2010, in the House of Commons. The proposed changes represent the Government of Canada’s commitment to improve railway safety in Canada.
The proposed amendments to the Railway Safety Act will ensure that Canadians, the Canadian economy, and the environment benefit from an improved safety regime for railway operations across the board, and should serve Canadians well into the future.
The proposed amendments will encourage rail companies to create and maintain a culture of safety and penalize rule breakers by:
- requiring railway companies to obtain a safety-based Railway Operating Certificate and to submit environmental management plans;
- introducing new fines and enhanced judicial monetary penalties for non-compliance;
- reflecting the importance of railway accountability and safety management systems, including new whistle blower protection for railway employees; and
- clarifying the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities’ authority and responsibilities for railway matters.
The Railway Safety Act gives Transport Canada the responsibility to oversee railway safety in Canada. The proposed amendments will be backed by Canada’s Economic Action Plan, which has committed $44 million over five years to improve the national rail safety program. The Railway Safety Act changes will give the department enhanced oversight of the rail industry and increased enforcement capacity.
More specifically, Transport Canada will be using the funds to hire additional inspectors and auditors to increase the frequency of audits on Canada’s 33 federally regulated railways, and to implement new technologies that will aid in the collection, analysis and dissemination of rail safety data. Funds will also be used to develop new regulations, manage new research projects, and conduct new outreach and education activities.
For information about the amendments (C-33) and the legislative stages completed, please consult the Library of Parliament’s LegisInfo site at: http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=4591145&Language=e&Mode=1
June 2010
