RAC Reacts to New Ministerial Order

The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) welcomes the announcement of a revised Ministerial Order issued by the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, late Friday.

This new Ministerial Order restricts the speeds trains transporting crude oil and liquid petroleum gases based on cold temperature conditions, instead of restricting their speeds based on a winter date range. The maximum speeds of these trains also depend on the safety measures implemented by railway companies to be detailed in a Winter Operation Risk Mitigation Plan and on the type of railway signal and traffic control systems present on the railway networks.

“Our members welcome this new approach which takes into account the industry’s feedback about the previous Order and aims at mitigating risks using a science-based approach,” said Marc Brazeau, RAC’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “This new order allows our members to maintain the safety of their employees and the communities in which they operate, while continuing to bring efficiency measures to winter rail operations for the benefit of their customers and in support of the Canadian economy.”

The conditions of the new Ministerial Order take effect immediately on key trains.

Media Contact:
Stéphanie Montreuil
613.564.8101
Senior Director, Communications and Media Relations, Railway Association of Canada
http://railcandev.wpengine.com