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CN/BC Rail Agreement - Information for railways, shippers, road authorities, municipalities, utility companies and the public

The recent agreement between the Province of British Columbia and the Canadian National Railway Company (CN) means that the network and operations of BC Rail will come under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Transportation Agency and the Canada Transportation Act for the first time.

The Agency, which is part of the Government of Canada, is a service-oriented organization that administers the economic regulations of various modes of transportation under federal jurisdiction, including the rail industry. Agency rail-related responsibilities touch all aspects of the railway business including the delivery of certificates of fitness to railways, approvals for the construction of new rail lines, setting of transportation rates when required to do so under legislation or upon application, as well as resolving disputes between the railways and other parties or between railways.

The Agency can react to rail-related disputes brought before it by making formal rulings on complaints or applications, referring the parties to a final offer arbitration process, or proposing and conducting mediation as a means of facilitating mutually beneficial settlements.

More specifically, the Agency's jurisdiction and technical expertise in the rail sector focus on the following areas:

Railway Infrastructure:

Crossings: road, private, and/or utility

Schedule of railway charges for crossing construction and maintenance

Railway line construction

Railway works cost apportionment/compensation

Railway Operations:

Licensing railway operations

Rates: interswitching rates, competitive line rates, single line rates and joint rates

Movement of grain

Adequate railway level of service

Running rights over another railway's tracks

Transfer and discontinuance of railway lines

Dispute Resolution:

Agency decision process

Final offer arbitration

Mediation services

Other Services:

List of federal railway companies in Canada

Agency decisions and rulings