Minister Raitt meets with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities on improving railway transportation Further supporting the work of municipal emergency preparedness officials and first responders

OTTAWA, Jan. 22, 2014 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, attended the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' National Municipal Rail Safety Working Group meeting to hear their views on improving risk assessments, emergency planning and response capability, as well as increasing insurance requirements for railways and shippers.

This meeting is one in a series of ongoing discussions with representatives of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities as part of two-way dialogue and information exchange on railway transportation in Canada.

Transport Canada continues to work with all stakeholders to enhance rail safety and the transportation of dangerous goods. Since the tragic Lac-Mégantic accident, the department has taken several actions to protect public safety, including issuing an emergency directive on railway operations and two protective directions - one on the classification of crude oil and the other on railways sharing dangerous goods information with municipalities and first responders.

Quick Facts

• Transport Canada operates, at no cost to municipalities or first responders, the 24/7 Canadian Transport Emergency Centre (CANUTEC) to assist local emergency response personnel in handling dangerous goods emergencies. CANUTEC is staffed by bilingual professional scientists specialized in emergency response and experienced in interpreting technical information and providing advice to first responders.
• The Federation of Canadian Municipalities represents 2,000 communities across Canada.

Quotes

"Maintaining safe railway transportation is a shared responsibility amongst international partners, provinces, territories, municipalities and industry. By working together with our partners, by sharing information and providing tools and resources, we can make Canada's railway system safer and more secure."

The Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Transport

Associated Links

• Federation of Canadian Municipalities website
• Minister Raitt meets with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to reiterate commitment to safe transportation
• Protective Direction No. 31
• Protective Direction No. 32

SOURCE: Transport Canada

Ashley Kelahear
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Transport, Ottawa
613-991-0700

Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055

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