Our government recently introduced amendments to the Railway Safety Act and the Canada Transportation Act, which will enhance insurance requirements for federally regulated railways and establish a supplementary compensation mechanism for incidents involving dangerous goods.
These enhancements are designed to ensure that shippers and railways are held accountable to citizens and communities in the event of an accident.
This “polluter pays” policy will protect taxpayers and communities by ensuring that adequate resources are available in the event of an accidental spillage or other catastrophic event.
Amendments to the Railway Safety Act would address municipal railway safety concerns by requiring companies to share information with third parties, including municipalities.
The Supplemental Fund for Dangerous Goods will provide additional resources for incidents in which the damages from an accident involving crude oil exceed the railway’s liability limit.
These proposed amendments to the Railway Safety Act will improve safety by strengthening Transport Canada’s oversight of federally-regulated railways through the increased sharing of information, empowering the Minister to order implementation of safety issues and granting the Minister the ability to stop any activity deemed unsafe for railway operations.
“The Government of Canada continues to make the safety and security of Canadians a top priority,” said Lisa Raitt, Canada’s Minister of Transport. “This new legislation will improve railway safety and strengthen oversight while protecting taxpayers and making industry more accountable to
communities.”
