Rail Safety Improvement Program (RSIP)

Transport Canada’s Rail Safety Improvement Program (RSIP) provides federal funding, in the form of grants or contributions. $55 million in funding is available over three-years. This year, the department will be providing more than $20 million to fund 131 projects in 2017-2018. The program’s objective is to improve rail safety, contribute to the reduction of injuries and fatalities, and increase public confidence in the Canada’s rail transportation system.

RSIP builds on three previous rail safety programs: the Grade Crossing Improvement Program (GCIP); the Grade Crossing Closure Program (GCCP); and Operation Lifesaver with an increased overall funding level, an expanded list of eligible recipients and a broadened scope of projects that could be funded to enhance rail safety.

The new program is a comprehensive approach to improving the safety of rail transportation across Canada, through two key components: 1) Public Education and Awareness; and 2) Infrastructure, Technology and Research.

1.    Public Education and Awareness

Transport Canada believes that more can be done to improve rail safety through outreach, education and awareness. Building on the successful results and lessons learned from existing programs such as Operation Lifesaver, Transport Canada is making funding available to eligible recipients through a ‘two-stream’ approach, including:

• a national public information and education campaign dedicated to contributing to the reduction of railway grade crossing collisions and trespassing incidents on railway property; and,
• targeted regional or municipal education and awareness initiatives to address high risk areas. This component is also used to support research, studies and analysis that contributes to a better understanding of behaviour, attitudes and impact of rail safety issues including post-accident community trauma assessment.

This year, Transport Canada is funding the following projects under the public education and awareness component of RSIP:

1)    Operation Lifesaver (National) – 3 years - $1,500,000

Operation Lifesaver will increase public awareness of railway crossings and the dangers of trespassing by providing awareness briefings to schools and communities, developing and promoting videos and sponsoring events across Canada.

2)    City of Windsor (Windsor, ON) – 2-year project - $45,000

The City of Windsor will raise awareness in young children, teenagers and the general public about the dangers of playing near railway tracks and trespassing on railway property. They will also educate new and professional drivers on the safe use of railway crossings.

3)    The Association Canadienne d’histoire ferroviaire (St. Constant, QC) – 1-year project - $15,604

The Association Canadienne d’histoire ferroviaire will develop an exploratory circuit safety display at the Exporail, le Musée ferroviaire canadien  to educate and inform children and their families on railway safety, in order to prevent deaths due to railway incidents.

4)    Great Sandhill Railway – (Leader, SK) – 2-year project - $400,000

The Great Sandhill Railway will educate the general public and youth groups about railway safety by using a moving train in a real-life scenario. They will work with the Province to reach high-risk areas in Saskatchewan.

5)    Parachute (Toronto, ON) – 2-year project – $106,000

Parachute will increase the number and capacity of local communities committed to rail safety education and awareness across Canada. They will identify four communities in Canada who will receive targeted support that will provide tools and resources to help them join the Vision Zero movement, as well also create educational campaigns supporting rail safety and promote rail safety toolkits to their stakeholders during key events.

6)    Safe Rail Communities (Toronto, ON) – 2-year project - $12,244

The Safe Rail Communities will collaborate with York University to improve and promote an existing rail safety app (MySafeRailApp). They will also develop and promote a Rail Safety Toolkit to local residents and school children and research, develop and implement a First Nations outreach strategy across the country.

2.    Infrastructure, Technology and Research (ITR)

The Infrastructure, Technology and Research component replaces both the existing Grade Crossing Improvement Program (GCIP) and the Grade Crossing Closure Program (GCCP). The new program has an enhanced focus on addressing the needs of communities of all sizes by making more safety improvements eligible and increasing federal investment. This component focuses on lower cost/high impact improvements although eligible projects could vary from small safety improvements to full pedestrian overpasses if funding is available. Under the new program, grant funding continues to be available to encourage the closure of high-risk crossings in addition to funding small-scale improvements.

This year, Transport Canada is funding 125 projects under the Infrastructure, Technology and Research component across Canada with the following provincial breakdown: