•  Most communities in Canada grew up around railway tracks
  •  As Canada has grown, there have been more issues between people and trains

Canada is an increasingly urbanized society

  •  Railways and people are living closer together
  •  Residential development is growing around rail facilities
  •  The issues that arise affect both urban and rural communities

Railways and communities have common interests

  •  Railway operations/services evolve according to customer/consumer requirements
  •  Freight and passenger trains serve Canada’s economic and transportation needs
  •  Common i nterests include safety, congestion, pollution, costs and land use

Proximity issues are a common problem

  •  Both contribute to the problem, e.g.:
       - land use planning and development
       - business expansion
       - changes in rail operations
  •  Community, economic growth, and 24/7 rail operations have resulted in issues such as:
       - noise, vibration, safety, vegetation control
       - crossing congestion
       - protecting integrity and expansion of rail facilities and intermodal operations

Proximity solutions include joint initiatives by the RAC and FCM *

  •  Improving communications (e.g. this website & database; case studies)
  •  Developing guidelines on potential issues; and best practices
  •  Developing mechanisms and protocols for successful dispute resolution
  •  Government measures include changes to pertinent legislation