Canada introduces new railway regulations

The Canadian Government introduced new regulations to reduce accidents at federally regulated grade crossings.

   Canadian Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt has announced new regulations to help prevent accidents and improve railway safety.
   New grade-crossing regulations establish higher standards of safety at federally regulated grade crossings, and amendments to the Transportation Information Regulations will help identify and address safety risks proactively, according to a Thursday press release.
   The regulations, which fall under the authority of Canada’s Railway Safety Act, will improve safety by reducing the frequency and severity of accidents. Specifically, according to Raitt, the regulations improve safety by “providing consistent grade-crossing safety standards across Canada; clarifying the roles and responsibilities of railway companies and road authorities; and improving safety features and promoting collaboration between all parties.” The regulations will take full effect over the next seven years.
   Under the new amendments to the Transportation Information Regulations, rail carriers will be required to report leading indicator data, measurable factors used to proactively identify safety risks, to Transport Canada, which will support better planning and performance measurement, more focused audits and inspections, as well as targeted programs that address specific safety issues.
   Raitt added, “The goal of the new Grade Crossings Regulations is to save lives by providing consistent grade crossing safety standards across Canada, and promoting collaboration between railways and road authorities. The amendments to the Transportation Information Regulations will also help identify and address safety risks proactively. We continue to work together to make the Canadian railway system one of the safest in the world.”