Smoke rises from burning derailed railway cars which were carrying crude oil in downtown Lac Megantic in the province of Quebec in July, 2013.
Photo Credit: Paul Chiasson/CP

Canadian municipalities to be told of dangerous materials on rails, later

Canada’s Transport Minister Lisa Raitt has announced new regulations that will oblige railway companies to inform municipalities when dangerous materials are transported through their communities. However, the information will be communicated a few months or even a year later.

According to a statement released on Wednesday (November 20) by her department, railway companies that transport “dangerous goods must provide municipalities with yearly aggregate information, presented by quarter, on the nature and volume of dangerous goods the company transports by rail through that municipality”.

In the statement, the Minister is quoted as saying “We recognize the responsibilities of all parties involved in maintaining safe railway transportation in Canada.”

Steven Blaney, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, is quoted as saying: “Our government is taking strong action to protect public safety.”

The new regulations are effective immediately.

There have been several train derailments and spills in the last few months in Canada. The most major in the town of Lac Megantic in the province of Quebec in which 47 people were killed.

More information:
Transport Canada press release – here

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Categories: Environment & Animal Life, Health, Politics
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