No. ON06/06
For Release
July 21, 2006

TRANSPORT CANADA ORDERS CN TO RESTRICT TRAIN SPEEDS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS IN ONTARIO

TORONTO — The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities today announced a Notice and Order has been issued to the Canadian National Railway Company (CN) for rail operations in the Province of Ontario. 

The Notice and Order restricts CN train speeds in the Province of Ontario in continous welded rail territory (non-jointed rail), where construction or significant maintenance of line work is being undertaken. Under these conditions, freight train speeds are restricted to 10 MPH and passenger train speeds to 30 MPH unless such work has been inspected by a qualified CN track supervisor and approved by the chief engineer for the area.

In response to the July 14, 2006 CN derailment in Oakville Subdivision near Mimico Station in Toronto, Transport Canada’s rail safety branch followed up with CN officials and reviewed its track maintenance records. This review revealed instances of non-compliance with the Track Safety Rules (TSR) and identified deficiencies with the company’s inspection processes. 

“Transport Canada takes the safety of the Canadian rail system very seriously and I am committed to ensuring that appropriate levels of safety are maintained,” said Mr. Cannon. “We are ordering CN to comply with the Notice and Order until it can demonstrate to Transport Canada that they have addressed and resolved the threat to safe railway operations to the satisfaction of the department.”
 
A Notice and Order is issued under Section 31 of the Railway Safety Act, when in the opinion of a Transport Canada railway safety inspector, there is an immediate threat to safe railway operations.

As the railway regulator, Transport Canada is responsible under the Railway Safety Act for promoting, monitoring and enforcing compliance with existing rules and regulations. The department has a regular inspection program in place as well as a mechanism to audit railway infrastructure, equipment and methods of operation to ensure that rail companies comply with the Railway Safety Act.

- 30 -

Contacts:

Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada.

This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities.