Transport Canada Investing C$24MM in Rail Safety

“CP was pleased to host Canadian Federal Transport Minister @OmarAlghabra at our Vaughan Intermodal Terminal in Ontario Friday [June 3] for the announcement of $24 million in federal funding for grade crossing safety improvements across Canada,” Canadian Pacific (CP) reported on Twitter. (Photo Courtesy of CP via Twitter)

Transport Canada’s Rail Safety Improvement Program for 2022-23 will distribute C$24 million to 147 grade crossing, infrastructure and research projects.

The program provides grants to provinces, territories, municipalities and local governments; road and transit authorities; crown corporations; for-profit and not-for-profit organizations; academia; Indigenous groups; communities and organizations; and individuals/private landowners to help improve rail safety and reduce injuries and fatalities related to rail transportation. It supports not only a wide range of safety improvements—including improved lighting, upgraded rail crossing signals, pedestrian overpasses and research into new safety technologies—but also the closure of high-risk crossings.

This round of funding will go toward 120 grade crossing improvements, five crossing infrastructure projects (such as the addition of fencing or pedestrian pathways), 10 grade crossing closures, and 12 technology and research projects across Canada, Transport Canada reported on June 3. Broken down by province, 24 projects were approved in Alberta; 11 in British Columbia; 10 in Manitoba; 10 in New Brunswick; 58 in Ontario; 23 in Quebec; and 11 in Saskatchewan.

“Since its inception four years ago, the Rail Safety Improvement Program has provided more than C$107 million to enhance rail safety,”Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra said. “We will continue to invest in projects that improve our rail system and that help keep Canadians safe.”

Transport Canada is accepting applications for infrastructure, technology and research projects for 2023-24 through Aug. 1, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. (PDT).