The Federal Government is taking action to improve rail safety and security.

This week, the Minister of Transport announced two new rail safety measures.

One will focus on railway-related fire prevention, while the other improves the resiliency of Canada's railway infrastructure against climate change impacts, such as flooding, landslides, and fire risks. 

New rules are now in place to help prevent fires on railway property and in nearby communities.

These new rules require railway companies to: 

Reduce train speeds and conduct additional track inspections when temperatures are high to reduce the risk of a derailment caused by track conditions;

Inspect locomotive exhaust systems more frequently to ensure they are free of any deposits that could pose a fire risk; and

Implement a fire risk reduction plan.

The fire risk reduction plan is robust and requires companies to monitor fire risk levels, manage vegetation, reduce activities that could spark fires, and respond to detected fires.

Companies must also engage local governments and Indigenous communities on their plans. 

Transport Canada is also implementing a Rail Climate Change Adaptation Program.

The program will support research, development, and implementation of innovative technologies, tools, and approaches to better understand and address the increasing risks and impacts of climate change on Canada's rail sector.

The Rail Climate Change Adaptation Program will provide up to $2.2M in funding to Canadian railways to cost-share research with project submissions from eligible railways being accepted until September 28, 2022.