SMITHS FALLS,- Dean Del Mastro, Member of Parliament for Peterborough and Chairman of the All Party Rail Caucus Parliamentary Group, on behalf on Rob Merrifield, Minister of State (Transport), and VIA's Senior Director, Real Estate, Magdy Fahmy today announced the construction of the town's new station and rail line upgrading. Made possible by the Government of Canada's investments of close to $21 million for major rail infrastructure work, the projects will increase and improve the safety, frequency and speed of passenger rail service all along VIA's busy Toronto-Ottawa route. MP Del Mastro and Senior Director Fahmy were joined at the announcement by Smiths Falls Mayor Dennis Staples and Canadian Pacific (CP) Vice-President of Government Affairs Michael Murphy.

"The Government of Canada understands how important VIA's rail service is to Smiths Falls and hundreds of other communities and rail travelers across Ontario," said MP Del Mastro. "By investing in rail services and facilities such as these here in Smiths Falls, we are underlining our commitment to VIA's capital renewal as a wise way to stimulate economic activity and job creation, contribute to environmental sustainability and improve Canada's passenger rail system for years to come."

Senior Director Fahmy added, "These investments will create a passenger rail service second to none. A rail service that is safe, fast and sustainable. A rail service designed for Canadians - in the 21st century. VIA is very pleased that the citizens of Smiths Falls are going to be a part of this new era in rail travel."

"We're very pleased to work with VIA to implement upgrades to CP's Brockville Subdivision, and thereby help improve passenger rail service on this important segment of the network," said VP Murphy.

VIA's new Smiths Falls station will be fully-accessible and located just north of downtown. With its distinctive tower, the new station has been designed to blend harmoniously with the historic character and railway legacy of Smiths Falls. It will provide easy passenger access, ample parking and room for future growth. The new location will also reduce schedule conflicts between VIA passenger and Canadian Pacific freight trains at the old site, which is in the middle of a junction between four busy CP lines and VIA's Smiths Falls Subdivision to Ottawa. The construction of the new Smiths Falls station is due to be completed at the end of this year.

The rail infrastructure upgrading began recently on CP's Brockville Subdivision, which is the route of VIA's heavily-used Toronto-Ottawa trains. The project, scheduled to be completed at the end of 2010, includes two new passing sidings between Smiths Falls and Brockville, a new Centralized Traffic Control signal system, upgraded protection at rail/road grade crossings and strategic sections of safety fencing.

"Smiths Falls' connection with and affection for the railways goes back to 1859, when the Brockville & Ottawa's first train steamed into town," said Mayor Staples. "It brought with it so many opportunities for this town to grow and prosper. I'm convinced these VIA projects can and will do the same today."

VIA's Smiths Falls projects are closely linked with other work that is now, or will soon be, underway throughout the Quebec-Windsor Corridor, which generates almost 90% of VIA's ridership and revenue. Other corridor projects include similar upgrading of the VIA-owned Ottawa-Smiths Falls line and Canadian National's Montreal-Toronto main line. These projects combined will lead to increases in VIA train safety, frequency and speed.

The construction of VIA's new Smiths Falls station is part of the $516 million capital program announced by the Government of Canada for VIA Rail in 2007. This investment is stimulating job creation, skills development and private sector activity across the country. Additional infrastructure projects are aimed at improving service quality and cost efficiency at other points across VIA's coast-to-coast route network.

(Canada NewsWire)

TORONTO - Food Banks Canada and Canadian Pacific will provide a special media availability for Toronto and National media with the Holiday Train entertainers in the CP Toronto Rail Yard Tuesday, December 1. The Holiday Train is North America's largest rolling mobile food and fundraiser, calling on 140 communities this year.

In these tough economic times, 20% more Canadians are turning to food banks for support this year and 30% more Americans are at risk of hunger. Hunger continues to be a problem and food banks need our help now more than ever. The Holiday Train is a corporate and public service organized and operated by Canadian Pacific's 16,000 employees across North America.

Who:
Kathryn Schmidt, Food Banks Canada
Blues Rocker Shaun Verreault of Wide Mouth Mason
Power pop quartet The Odds
Brother and sister duo Prescott
Ottawa Valley blues singer Adam Puddington

Time:
3:00 PM

Date:
Tuesday, December 1

Location:
Canadian Pacific Toronto Rail Yard
General Yard Office
2025 McCowan Road (north of Sheppard Avenue E)
Scarborough

About the Holiday Train:

The Holiday Train is a freight train covered in more than 200,000 bright lights. At 140 stops across Canada and United States, Canadian Pacific provides a box car stage, a line up of great musical talent and a corporate contribution to the local food bank. Food banks provide collection bins for non-perishable food. Communities, in turn, donate food and funds, all of which stays in the community. The Holiday Train has raised $4 million and 2 million pounds of food. Full schedules and background information are available at www.cpr.ca by clicking on the Holiday Train.

The event is the only time both the Canadian and American Holiday Trains meet during this year's tour.

Greater Toronto Area Holiday Train stops:

Monday, November 30
Bowmanville - 7 p.m., Scugog Road crossing
Oshawa - 8:45 p.m., Thornton Road crossing

Tuesday, December 1 Toronto - 6:30 p.m., 87 Ethel Avenue, adjacent to RONA
Hamilton - 8:15 p.m. (U.S. Train show), area of Kinnear Yard, opposite Gage Park
Vaughan - 9:00 p.m., Northwest corner of CP Vaughn Intermodal Yard and Nashville Road, near grain elevator.

Wednesday, December 2
Midhurst (Barrie) - 1:00 p.m., 12 Anne Street North

By Mike De Souza, Canwest News Service November 8, 2009

OTTAWA - Canadians overwhelmingly support high-speed rail and believe the federal government should provide the startup funding as well as investments on an ongoing basis, concludes a new poll.

The survey, conducted by EKOS for the Railway Association of Canada, found that 86 per cent of Canadians would strongly or somewhat support the introduction of high-speed trains in the country. Only nine per cent said they would be opposed.

Document(s):

Click here to download the full article in PDF (16 KB)

Backed by surging public interest and investments, a new era of passenger rail is taking shape in Canada, one that proponents say is a boon to the environment and the economy.

For urban commuters and intercity travellers, the train is once again becoming the way to go. VIA Rail and the country?s major transit systems have reported steady increases in riders during the last few years and are responding with more services and new and rejuvenated trains. .

Document(s):

Click here to download the Globe and Mail Supplement in PDF (1.7MB)

Canadian Pacific's brightly decorated Holiday Train returns to the rails in late November, raising food, money and awareness for food banks across North America. Last year, the Holiday Train helped raise more than $500,000 and 250,000 lbs of food and there is greater need this year.

"Canadian Pacific is proud to support communities where we operate, raising more than $4 million in funds and two million pounds of food in the Holiday Train's first decade," said CP President and CEO Fred Green. "Each year, the Holiday Train's message gets stronger and the impact on our employees and in communities becomes more meaningful."

Document(s):

Click here for the CP Press Release in PDF (12 KB)

Rails with Trails is a multi-use pathway constructed within an existing CN Railway corridor that is centrally located within Kelowna.

The route connects neighborhoods to recreational facilities and parks, institutions and the downtown cultural district providing direct access to the scenic Okanagan Lake waterfront and beaches.

Click here for the Rails with Trails website

OTTAWA - Brock Carlton (L), CEO of FCM, Jean Perrault, President of FCM and mayor of Sherbrooke, QC, and Cliff Mackay, president and CEO of RAC, sign a memorandum of understanding regarding railway proximity in municipalities in Ottawa March 12, 2009. Photo by Blair Gable for The Canadian Press Images.

Document(s):

Click here to download the Photo in JPEG (63 KB)

OTTAWA - The Proximity Progress Report is an annual publication that reports on the challenges and achievements of the proximity initiative by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Railway Association of Canada (RAC).

The FCM, representing 1,775 municipal governments, and the RAC, whose 54 member railways transport 75 per cent of surface freight and 68 million commuter and inter-city passengers, signed a new cooperation agreement to improve communications and to develop benchmarks and guidelines for dispute resolution.

Document(s):

Click here to download the Report in PDF (297 KB)

OTTAWA - The annual Locomotive Emissions Monitoring (LEM) data filing has been completed for 2007 in accordance with the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on May 15, 2007, between the Railway Association of Canada (RAC), Environment Canada and Transport Canada concerning the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and criteria air contaminants (CAC) from locomotives operating in Canada. The MOU is in force from 2006 to 2010 and identifies specific commitments on the part of the major railway companies to achieve during this period.

Document(s):

Click here to download the Report in PDF (1.8 MB)

MOU is key to improving municipal planning, developing new techniques for mitigating noise vibrations, and enhancing public safety around railway operations.

OTTAWA - The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) have agreed to extend their Memorandum of Understanding, dealing with noise, vibration, safety and other proximity management issues, for an open-ended term. The agreement will be reviewed every two years and potential changes will be mutually arranged.

The new agreement was announced today by Jean Perrault, President of FCM and Mayor of Sherbrooke, Que., and Cliff Mackay, President and CEO of the RAC.   FCM’s membership of more than 1,775 municipalities represents 90 per cent of the Canadian population, while the RAC represents the railway industry, consisting of 55 freight and passenger railways in Canada. The railways operate some 775 trains per day. They carry 75 per cent of surface freight and 68 million passengers and commuters annually.
               
The Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA), representing city managers and administrators, has also joined the initiative’s proximity steering committee.
               
“It is in everyone’s interest to negotiate appropriate relationships between railways, cities and communities, to plan ahead and resolve problems before they occur, and to develop mechanisms for resolving unanticipated issues,” said Mr. Perrault.
                 
Mr. Mackay welcomed the initiative as ahead of its time. “We have demonstrated a willingness to work together and an ability to solve problems that meet everyone’s needs,” he said. “We know, from experience, that people can work together in the common interest.”
              
The original MOU was signed in May 2003. Three joint committees have been working on the issues: to improve municipal planning, to develop new techniques for mitigating noise vibrations, and to enhance public safety around railway operations.
               
The organizations maintain an extensive FCM/ RAC data store and website at www.proximityissues.ca that provides information and content on proximity complaints and municipal/ railway contacts. The site is visited by 365,000 people annually.
               
The new co-chair of the Proximity Steering Committee is Councillor Merrill Henderson of Moncton, representing FCM. He succeeded Sharon Hartwell, mayor of Telkwa, B.C. this fall. Two new members recently also joined the committee, Mayor Richard Walton, District of North Vancouver, B.C., and Reeve Tim Stone of Saddle Hills County, Alberta.

About the Railway Association of Canada (RAC):

The RAC represents virtually all freight and passenger railways operating in Canada today, large and small. They operate some 775 trains a day, carry 75 per cent of surface freight and 68 million commuters and passengers annually.

About the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM):

FCM is the national voice of municipal governments, established in 1901, representing the interests of municipalities on policy and program matters that fall within federal jurisdiction. With more than 1,775 members representing 90 per cent of the Canadian population, FCM members include Canada's largest cities, small urban and rural communities, and 18 provincial and territorial municipal associations.

Media Contacts:

Maurice Gingues
Media Relations Officer
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)
(613) 907-6395 / mgingues@fcm.ca

Roger Cameron
Director, Public Affairs
Railway Association of Canada
613-564-8097 / rogerc@railcan.ca

Document(s):

Click here to download the RAC Press Release in PDF (90 KB)

The Canadian Transportation Agency today released its Guidelines for the Resolution of Complaints Concerning Railway Noise and Vibration under the Canada Transportation Act.

These guidelines were developed to assist individuals, municipalities, railway companies and other parties in resolving these types of disputes. They set out: the collaborative measures that parties must follow before the Agency conducts an investigation into a complaint; the elements that the Agency considers in determining whether railway construction or operations have caused only such noise and vibration as is reasonable; and how to file a complaint, what information must be submitted, as well as the process to be followed.

In its guidelines, the Agency stresses the importance for parties to a rail noise or vibration issue to engage in a meaningful dialogue in an effort to explore available solutions in a constructive manner.

"Ongoing communication among all involved in railway noise and vibration issues can help develop awareness of the needs and realities of other parties and may help prevent future complaints," said Geoffrey Hare, the Agency's chair and CEO.

The Agency has the authority to resolve complaints about noise and vibration caused by the construction or operations of federally-regulated railways and public passenger rail service providers. A railway company may be ordered by the Agency to make any changes to its construction or operations that the Agency considers reasonable in order to ensure compliance with the relevant provisions of the Act. As well, the railway's operational requirements, its legal obligations regarding the level of service provided to its clients, and the area where the railway construction or operations take place, must all be taken into consideration by the Agency.

The development of these guidelines included a cross-Canada consultation involving a wide range of interested parties that was held during the fall and winter of 2007-2008.

Click here for the Guidelines

With billions of dollars in new infrastructure investments underway in projects to improve passenger rail services and capture increasing global trade, Canada?s railways are on a roll, fuelling our national interests.

Document(s):

Click here to download the Globe and Mail Supplement in PDF (1.9MB)

CAPREOL, ON - Capreol, a CN divisional point in northern Ontario for the past 90 years, was inducted into the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame Saturday night. The event involved a series of festivities, from sports to music and eating competitions, from dancing to a town-wide yard sale.

Prompted by a reunion of the Prescott Family, the community organized a massive restoration and re-painting of steam locomotive 6077, with the finishing touches completed this past weekend by volunteers, as part of its 90th birthday party. Tony Marquis, General Manager, Operations for CN?s Champlain Division in eastern Canada, made the announcement on behalf of the Railway Hall of Fame tonight. A native of Capreol, he is a third-generation railroader and a former locomotive engineer.

The township was named after Frederick Chase Capreol, a civil engineer from England responsible for building railways throughout Ontario. Frank Dennie, considered the community?s founder, built the first log house and gave land to the railway for its facilities. Many streets were named after him and his sons.

Several influential railroaders came from Capreol including Harold Prescott, Mooch DelGreco, Bill McLeish, Gil Sweezey, Wayne Metcalfe, Pat Ross, Laurie Macdonald, Ernie Purcell, Joe Madigan and senior union officials Guy Ethier, Mike Wheten, Todd Cotie and David Colasimone. Several Prime Ministers graced the platform in Capreol while travelling by train across Canada; The Queen Mother and the Governor General greeted ?Capreolites? there.

Capreol is still a railroad town, although now it?s a bedroom community to Sudbury. Its Work Equipment shop is owned by a private investor. Millenium Centre was a joint venture between the Town, CN and the Government of Canada. Then-mayor David Kilgour, Ray Bonin MP and Paul Tellier agreed to renovate the former high school, complete with a bunkhouse and training centre for CN employees. Capreol is also the home of the Northern Ontario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre.

Marquis said CN has always played a very active role in the development of the community including the 6077, the Prescott Park that it is on, the caboose and related resources. Other dignitaries at the dinner were Mayor John Rodriguez, City of Greater Sudbury; councilors Ron Dupuis, Francis Calerelli and Stu Thomas, President of the heritage centre.

The Canadian Railway Hall of Fame is a virtual entity created in 2002 by the Railway Association of Canada with the support of its 57 member railways and the Canadian Northern Society of Alberta. Since then, some 75 nominees have been inducted on the website and in an interpretive park in the Big Valley, Alberta that has already attracted more than 20,000 visitors. For more information, please go to www.railfame.ca

Contact Information:

Roger Cameron
Railway Association of Canada
613-564-8097
rogerc@railcan.ca

Calgary - The combined efforts of Calgary Transit, Canadian Pacific and volunteers will see the railway right-of -ways in south Calgary receive a good cleaning on Saturday morning.

Rain or shine, the clean up event organized by Canadian Pacific and Calgary Transit will see more than 50 volunteers working together to clean up litter on the right of ways between Heritage and Shawnessy CTrain Stations.

"I am so pleased that everyone is working together to look after our community and keep everything safe and clean," said City of Calgary Alderman Diane Colley-Urquhart. "It's everyone's responsibility to pitch in and help."

"It is fantastic to have so many stakeholder groups working together not only on the cleanup but to raise awareness about the negative effects littering has on our environment," said Grete Bridgewater Director of Environmental Management Systems for Canadian Pacific.

Media are invited to attend the kick-off safety briefing with Alderman Colley-Urquhart at the Shawnessy CTrain Station at 10:00am.

Contacts:

Canadian Pacific
Breanne Feigel
Tel.: (403) 589-6949
e-mail: breanne_feigel@cpr.ca

Calgary Transit
Ron Collins
Tel.: (403) 537-7949
Cell : (403) 312-9454

CP Locomotive Engineer Greg Myers talks with grade 9 students of Central Collegiate High School on Friday, May 2, 2008, in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. This week is Operation Lifesaver?s Rail Safety Week across Canada.

The radio news item below provides an overview of the items being aired during Operation Lifesaver's Rail Safety Week this week by radio stations across Canada. It includes Dan Di Tota, Operation Lifesaver's national director; CN Police Chief Serge Meloche talking about Zero Tolerance for trespassers; CP locomotive engineer Don Ashley who works from Hamilton through Niagara and Minister of Transport Lawrence Cannon, discussing 81 crossing improvements.

The material, reinforced by television and newspapers, aired on at least 128 English stations and 22 French. Both Canadian Press and NTR were given the audio clips and stories to go with them or develop their own.

Attachment(s):

Click here to listen to the (mp3) radio news item (2.3 MB)

Ottawa - Operation Lifesaver, in cooperation with Transport Canada, the Railway Association of Canada and their partners, will begin the 2008 Rail Safety Week today on April 28. It?s a national effort to promote safe decisions around highway-railway crossings and operations.

?We are very excited to be kicking off this annual Rail Safety Week,? said Dan Di Tota, Operation Lifesaver national director. ?Rail safety is a very important message to bring to Canadians and we have seen first-hand how Canadians can make a difference.?

Document(s):

Click here to download the RAC Press Release in PDF (15 KB)

From June 12 to July 6, the CP Spirit of 150 Rail Tour will visit 33 communities in the Kootenays, the Rockies, the Shuswap, Kamloops, the Fraser Canyon and Vancouver as part of the year-long BC150 celebration, announced Tourism, Sport and the Arts Minister Stan Hagen and CP president and ceo Fred Green.

" For over 100 years, rail travel has played an important role in BC's heritage and economy," said Hagen. "The CP Spirit of 150 Rail Tour will highlight our rich rail history while bringing BC150 celebrations to life through live performances and a special exhibition created especially for this tour by the Royal BC Museum."

The CP Spirit of 150 Rail Tour includes the vintage CP 2816 Empress steam locomotive and support cars, two vintage passenger coaches, a vintage business car, a heritage baggage car converted into a traveling museum, and a vintage stage car. Visitors can view historic displays, watch a stage show and interact with costumed performers depicting some of BC?s most entertaining and notorious historical figures.

"The CP Spirit of 150 Rail Tour gives us the opportunity to connect our past, present and future in the communities we serve every day," said Green. "Canadian Pacific is a proud BC150 sponsor and proud to be a partner in the Pacific Century."

Document(s):

Click here to download the CP Press Release in PDF (25 KB)

John Dalzell, Vice-president of Risk Management for CN and Co-chair of the FCM/ RAC Proximity Steering Committee and Cynthia Lulham, Westmount Councillor and project manager spoke about the initiative at Friday's AQTR workshop in Montreal.

Document(s):

Click here to download the presentation in PDF (248 KB)

For Cliff Mackay, a simple statistic sums up the importance of Canada’s railway sector: two-thirds of all freight that moves in the country moves by rail.

“Canada’s strength as a trading nation in a rapidly expanding global economy is underpinned by a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly railway system,” he says.

Document(s):

Click here to download the Globe and Mail Supplement in PDF (3.4MB)

Ottawa - The Railway Association of Canada will mark the 90th anniversary of the creation of the Canadian Railway Association for National Defence today, October 23. The organization was created to expedite the flow of freight cars back from the U.S. to help the Canadian war effort during the first world war. The name was changed to the Canadian Railway War Board. Because the concept worked so well, the War Board was dissolved and the Railway Association of Canada was established on December 1, 1919.

Representatives from Canada’s railways first met in Montreal to create a volunteer, national board to coordinate related industrial activities regarding the war on October 23, 1917. Its purpose was to “render the most efficient possible service to the national cause.” The timeline of the Association’s activities was to be for the duration of the war, and gave general authority to formulate a policy of operation for all or any of the railways.

“The creation of the association marked a significant point in the history of the railway industry in Canada,” said Cliff Mackay, president and CEO of the modern RAC. “Their activities throughout the war years did not go unnoticed, and our continued work as a representative body reflects the importance of a national railway association. The RAC is proud to be a part of this storied history.”

In addition to coordinating efforts to return railcars that had been shipped to the United States, the Association also took responsibility for managing labour issues between the railways and their employees. Under the abnormal conditions of the war, it was deemed expedient that the Association manage these issues. After the war, the Association maintained this role for a number of years.

“It is perhaps not necessary that I should outline … the very wonderful work accomplished by the Canadian Railway War Board during the period of the war,” said E.W. Beatty , then President of Canadian Pacific Railway at the dissolution of the Board. “I do not believe that there is one single activity in Canada, throughout the war, that was more appreciated by the Government and by the people of Canada than the activities of the transportation companies and the Canadian Railway War Board.”

The RAC will recognize its historic anniversary through different events and initiatives during the year approaching December 1, 2009, said Mr. Mackay. “Suggestions are welcome.”

Contact Information:

Roger Cameron
Director, Public Affairs
Railway Association of Canada
613-564-8097
rogerc@railcan.ca

The Railway Association of Canada's annual general meeting in Vancouver included a panel on municipalities and railways working together to solve common problems. Shown are Cliff Mackay, RAC President and CEO; John Dalzell, CN, Montreal; Mayor Sharon Hartwell, Telkwa , B.C., Federation of Canadian Municipalities; Fred Green, CP President and CEO, Calgary; Helena Borges, Transport Canada, Ottawa; James Allen, Ottawa Central Railway; Bruce Burrows, RAC; and Capt. Gordon Houston, Vancouver and Fraser Port Authority.

Click here to download the photograph in JPEG (187 KB)

Ottawa – The Town of Mount Royal, Quebec is among this year’s inductees into the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame. The selection helps honour the heroes, technologies, leaders and communities of the Canadian railway industry.

A historically rich town that was created by the Canadian Northern Railway in order to finance the Mount Royal Tunnel Project. This Model City is one of the few completed projects in the wave of model cities that were planned at the turn of the 20th century. Today, TMR remains an integral part of the Montreal region and the CN system where commuter trains continue to operate on the original Canadian Northern route. In fact, commuter trains carry more than 60 million riders a year in Canada, reducing road congestion, fuel consumption and emissions.

See www.railfame.ca

Vancouver - Representatives from the railway industry, the shipping sector, municipalities and government will meet in Vancouver October 15 and 16 to discuss some of the successes and future challenges of growing cities and a growing rail industry.

The conference is part of a two-day event hosted by the Railway Association of Canada. It will feature their annual general meeting and committee meetings for members, a tradeshow and the conference on community issues.

Speakers at the Tuesday session will include Gordon Houston, Vancouver Port Authority; James Allen, Ottawa Central Railway; Helena Borges, Transport Canada, and Mayor Sharon Hartwell of Telkwa, B.C. She and conference moderator John Dalzell of CN are co-chairs of the RAC-Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ project steering committee.

“We are excited about the quality of the speakers and the topics that will be discussed during this workshop,” said Cliff Mackay, President and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada. “The participation shows that cooperation and communication are fundamental to building a solid relationship. The RAC is very committed to making progress in this area.”

The RAC and FCM have an on-going partnership. Recently, the two organizations signed a new two-year Memorandum of Understanding to work together to improve community relations.

The new agreement will build on previous work by the partners that dates back to May 2002. They have been working since then to improve municipal planning, develop new techniques for mitigating noise and vibrations, and further enhance public safety around railway operations.

The Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA), representing city managers and administrators, has also joined the initiative’s steering committee. For more details, go to www.proximityissues.ca.

Contact Information:

Roger Cameron
Railway Association of Canada
613-564-8097
rogerc@railcan.ca

Ottawa - This weekend, the Ottawa Central Railway hosted the beloved children's character, Thomas the Tank Engine, allowing children and adults alike to ride aboard the smiling locomotive. It was just another example of how Ottawa Central Railway is remaining involved in the community.

Year after year, the railway has opened its doors to the general public to view historical and modern railcars side-by-side, as well as the operations of one of Ontario's short line railways.

Ottawa Central Railway also plays a part in the Computers for Schools program, moving refurbished computers along the line, which are then donated to schools, libraries and not-for-profit organizations across Canada.

With safety in mind, the railway has also hosted presentations on dangerous goods training for local emergency responders in order to quickly assess risks, protect the public, and mitigate any damage in the event of an incident involving dangerous goods.

But even with all these examples, the community contribution and ongoing presentations are just one element of how the railway has been involved in Ottawa since it began its operations in 1998.

Recently, the railway's general manager, James Allen, contributed to the Mayor of Ottawa's Task Force on Transportation, suggesting the use of existing infrastructure to help with public transit. In addition, the report suggested that rail freight traffic over the Ottawa River would help reduce truck volumes on downtown roads.

According to the report, the Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada has expressed interest in the project and also confirmed the interest of high-volume shippers who see the benefits of a rail link between Ottawa and Gatineau.
Rail, for shippers, is much more cost-effective than other modes of transportation. It can also play a key role in relieving traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions in the region.

In fact, the addition of just one freight or passenger train removes the equivalent of up to 280 trucks, or 1,000 cars. In addition, one train that moves 1,000 kilometres will save 4,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions compared to moving those goods by truck.

But the importance of Ottawa Central Railway extends beyond the city limits of Ottawa. The railway owns 95 miles of mainline between Pembroke and Ottawa, operates 207 miles of railway, and carries a number of different commodities, including newsprint, salt, forest products, wire rod, and scrap metal.

It also operates a portion of its line in Quebec, where the province of Quebec, the federal government, and the short line railways recently announced a $75 million investment partnership to restore and upgrade short line infrastructure. As part of the investment, Ottawa Central Railway will be upgrading the load capacity of its track over a distance of 36 kilometres between Pontiac and Portage-du-Fort.

For the railway, this partnership will ensure that shippers are able to move more commodities using fewer railcars. It also means an increase in efficiency, and many shippers have already acknowledged the significant cost benefits of utilizing rail.

Two of the railway's largest shippers, Smurfit Stone and Ivaco, have both spoken highly of the railway. Both companies, which together represent 75 per cent of Ottawa Central Railway's yearly business, have stated that trucking inbound and outbound materials would increase their transportation costs by 30 to 40 per cent.

While these are significant numbers for both businesses, it is a similar story told across Ontario. Short line railways across Ontario have a proud and prominent role to play in building and growing the Ontario economy, said Cliff Mackay, president and chief executive officer of the Railway Association of Canada.

Short line railways originate more than 140,000 carloads of freight traffic each and every year, or the equivalent of 500,000 truckloads moving on area highways. These are raw materials and good manufactured in Ontario, which are then moved and interchanged with long-haul, high-volume railways that transport to markets in the United States, Asia and Europe.

With the addition of Class 1 railways, more than 40 per cent of Ontario's goods each year are moved by rail, and those same railways employ more than 10,000 people and support tens of thousands of jobs indirectly. In addition, 80 per cent of Canada-U.S. domestic and international rail traffic passes through Ontario's borders.

Ontario, as home to 13 short line and regional railways connecting Ontario's small and medium-sized communities to major market throughout North America and around the world, can ensure green economic growth through supporting these railways," said Mackay. "They have a strong and vibrant role to play in the future of Ontario's economy and in ensuring sustainable, green growth."


Contact Information:

Ken Lancastle
Public Affairs Officer
Railway Association of Canada
613-295-4740
kenl@railcan.ca

Click here to download the Press Release in PDF ( 12 KB )

Aylmer - A large crowd gathered today to attend a groundbreaking celebration to mark the start of construction of IGPC Ethanol Inc's $132 million ethanol facility. The event, which was held at the project's construction site within the Aylmer Business Park, comes several weeks after the successful completion of financing for Canada's first farmer owned ethanol facility. IGPC Chair Tom Cox underscored the significance to the project of reaching this milestone "We couldn't be more thrilled to be hosting this event" said Cox adding "after many years of considerable efforts to reach this stage, it is gratifying to have people coming to see the tangible results of all of our efforts."

Attending the event were members of IGPC, members of the Elgin community and invited guests including the Hon. Steve Peters , Minister of Labour and Member for Elgin Middlesex London; representatives from Natural Resources Canada; Mayor Bob Habkirk of Aylmer; Mayor John Wilson of Malahide Township.

"Today's groundbreaking marks an important start to what I hope is a rural economic boon for Aylmer and East Elgin, " Minister Peters said. "With a vital agricultural sector and a strong, skilled workforce, this area is ideally suited for this ethanol plant."

Construction of the plant, which has been designed by ethanol industry leader ICM, is being built by North America Construction of Morriston, Ontario. The plant is anticipated to be operational in the second half of 2008.

IGPC's 840 farmer and community members have invested over $45 million to launch the community-owned ethanol plant, the largest start-up co-operative venture ever attempted in Canada. The Government of Canada's Ethanol Expansion program has committed $11.9 million to the project and Ontario's Ethanol Growth Fund has committed a $14 million capital grant. IGPC has also received funding under the Community Transitions Program.

Société Générale, the lead financing arranger, along with five other lenders, has formed the syndicate that provided the $100 million credit package needed to finance the construction and operation of the IGPC plant.

Contact:
Tom Cox
Integrated Grain Processors Co-operative
(519) 771-4467

IGPC Ethanol Inc., the wholly owned subsidiary of the Integrated Grain Processors Co-operative, has begun construction of a $132 million ethanol plant in Aylmer, Ontario, capable of producing approximately 150 million litres of denatured fuel-grade ethanol annually. The plant will also produce approximately 120,000 tonnes of Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles (DDGS) annually. Approximately 90,000 tonnes of CO2 will be produced annually by the plant.

The plant will create significant additional demand for Ontario corn by utilizing approximately 15 million bushels of corn annually, representing approximately 6% of Ontario's average annual corn production.

Up to 150 construction workers and trades people are expected to be working on the site over the course of the anticipated 16 month construction period. Upon commissioning, the plant will employ some 35 skilled workers and generate many more spin-off jobs.

Integrated Grain Processors Co-operative Inc. (IGPC) was incorporated in April 2002 as an Ontario co-operative. The objective of IGPC is to establish an ethanol plant in Southwestern Ontario to add value to local producers' corn, increase the price producers receive for their corn locally, and create jobs and environmentally sustainable economic growth in Southwestern Ontario. The Co-operative is committed to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the production of renewable fuels.

Click here to download the Press Release in PDF ( 53 KB )

Aylmer - With the official groundbreaking ceremony on Friday of the Integrated Grain Processors Cooperative ethanol plant in Aylmer, Ontario, the Port Colborne-based Trillium Railway has taken another step towards playing an even bigger role in the regional and provincial economy.

Once completed in the second half of 2008, the 150 million litre ethanol plant will be able to receive corn by Trillium Railway, and send ethanol and co-products to markets abroad using the railway. The entire project will involve more than 5,000 feet of new rail siding, and will connect to the continental network through Trillium Railway.

Wayne Ettinger, president and CEO of Trillium Railway, has said this access to the railway was one of the key components in the selection for the Aylmer site. In fact, it is also one of the most important elements for the operation of an ethanol plant. The chairman of the Integrated Grain Processors Cooperative, Tom Cox, has spoken highly of Trillium Railway and rail's overall importance to the project and industry.

But this praise goes beyond just the local and burgeoning ethanol industry. Economic development officers in Port Colborne and Tillsonburg have stated that the presence of rail is essential for economic growth in the community, and each municipality has mentioned the presence of rail in their local economic development strategy.

In fact, since Trillium Railway began its operations in 1997, it has established 20 customers on its two lines, and the railway moves a number of commodities including grain, corn syrup and by-products, fertilizer, agricultural chemicals and pipe.

As important as the railway is for the region, it is also no exception. The short line railways across Ontario play a proud and prominent role in building and growing the Ontario economy.
Railways move more than 40 per cent of Ontario's goods each and every year, directly employing more than 10,000 people and supporting tens of thousands of jobs indirectly. Eighty per cent of Canada-U.S. domestic and international rail traffic passes through Ontario's borders.

In fact, these short line and regional railways originate more than 140,000 carloads of freight traffic each and every year, or the equivalent of 500,000 truckloads moving on area highways. These are raw materials and goods manufactured in Ontario, which are then moved to markets in the United States, Asia and Europe by local rail companies.

Beyond the benefits rail provides to the Ontario economy, Ontario's railways are essential to building a green and sustainable future. Rail can relieve traffic congestion on area roads and highways, as the addition of just one train removes the equivalent of up to 280 trucks or 1,000 cars.

In addition, a train that moves 1,000 kilometres will save 4,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions compared to moving those goods by truck. In fact, trains carry 65 per cent of Canada's surface freight, 63 million passengers and account for only three per cent of the transportation sector's greenhouse gas emissions.

"Ontario, as home to 13 short line and regional railways connecting Ontario's small and medium-sized communities to major markets throughout North America and around the world, can ensure green economic growth through supporting these railways," said Cliff Mackay, president and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada. "They have a strong and vibrant role to play in the future of Ontario's economy and in ensuring sustainable, green growth."

Contact Information:

Ken Lancastle
Public Affairs Officer
Railway Association of Canada
613-567-8591
kenl@railcan.ca

Click here to download the Press Release in PDF ( 53 KB )

Ottawa - On behalf of Canada's railways, Cliff Mackay, President and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada, welcomed today's announcement of an agreement by the governments of Canada and Québec, and Québec shortline railways to invest $75 million to improve rail infrastructure.

"These investments in rail, ties and bridges are critical to maintaining competitive rail services in many regions of Québec. These services are key contributors to the regional economies and make it possible for many communities to grow and prosper," he said.

Mr. Mackay said: "The investments will allow many Québec-based shortline railways to meet the new North American load standards and ensure that they are efficiently linked to the continent-wide system. In addition, they will also assist Québec's shortlines to improve their already good record in reducing environmental emissions such as greenhouse gases."

"The rail industry would welcome similar public-private agreements in other provincial jurisdictions," Mr. Mackay said.

Contact Information:

Roger Cameron
Director, Public Affairs
Railway Association of Canada
rogerc@railcan.ca
613-564-8097

Gérald Gauthier
Director, Industry Liason
Railway Association of Canada
geraldg@railcan.ca
613-564-8106

Click here to download the Government News Release in PDF ( 53 KB )

New Carlisle, Quebec - The governments of Canada and Quebec and the Chemin de fer de la Matapédia et du Golfe (CFMG), today announced an investment of over $14 million to restore the CFMG between Rivière-du-Loup and Matane, and between Mont-Joli and Matapédia. The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Ms. Nathalie Normandeau, Deputy Prime Minister of Quebec and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Regions, on behalf of Ms. Julie Boulet, Quebec Minister of Transport, and Mr. Marc Laliberté, President, Quebec Railway Corporation, met for the announcement in New Carlisle.

"Infrastructure projects such as this clearly demonstrate Canada's New Government's commitment to improving Canadians' quality of life and protecting the environment," said Minister Cannon. "This project is a perfect example of partnership between the federal and provincial governments and railway companies to improve the rail network, thus improving citizens' safety and quality of life."

This important investment will improve the state of CFMG's track operations in order to ensure a more efficient and competitive rail network that is better integrated into the main rail network, especially in key transport and trade corridors.

"This investment will support economic development in Quebec and its regions in order to promote interregional, interprovincial, and international trade and commerce," said the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec.

"The restoration of shortline railway infrastructures in Quebec was one of the priorities underlined in the Canada-Quebec agreement on cost-shared investments for infrastructure improvements," said the Premier of Quebec, Mr. Jean Charest. "In accordance with this agreement, the Government of Québec will invest $3.9 million to support the CFMG restoration project. This investment will strengthen the region's dynamic economy in the context of sustainable development."

CFMG's objective is to bring the track's bearing capacity up to North American standards. Shippers, as well as CN, would like CFMG to improve its infrastructure so that higher capacity railway cars can travel more efficiently. This work will be carried out over 347 kilometres of track.

"Thanks to these investments, we are consolidating our rail network, which provides a viable alternative for passenger and freight transport as well as an interregional link that will help us face the future with greater confidence," said Minister Normandeau.

"In addition to improving safety and client service, our investment of $4.8 million will enable CFMG to continue to be one of the key links in the national transportation network. This work will ensure the sustainability of this important transportation infrastructure," said Mr. Laliberté.

The CFMG, which is owned by the Quebec Railway Corporation, enables businesses on the Gaspé Peninsula and in Eastern Quebec to access North American and overseas markets at a competitive cost. It links various parts of eastern Quebec and the north shore of the St. Lawrence River with the south shore via the COGEMA rail ferry, and links eastern Quebec with New Brunswick, where the line connects to the New Brunswick East Coast Railway Company Inc.

Shortline railways service regional railways and constitute an essential element of north-south commercial trade for Quebec businesses. They operate over 38 per cent of Quebec's railway network, which accounts for over 2,300 kilometres of track. In Quebec, over 80 per cent of the products transported by shortline railways are shipped to a final destination in the United States. These regional railways transport mainly wood, paper, pulp, particle board, mineral ore, and aluminium. Shortline railways thus play an essential role in Quebec's economy.

The Government of Canada will contribute over $5.8 million to this project under the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund. This fund supports projects of major national and regional significance in areas that are vital to sustaining economic growth and supporting an enhanced quality of life for Canadians.

Budget 2007 outlines a long-term infrastructure plan that will provide an historic $33 billion over seven years to support a growing economy, a healthy environment and prosperous communities. The plan will encourage action by all levels of government on things that matter most to Canadians, including clean drinking water, efficient public transit, road conditions and innovative sources of green energy.

Railway Association of Canada and the Government of Canada keep Canadian Railways On Track with Environmental Goals.
The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) with Transport Canada and Environment Canada today announced and signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to help reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the rail sector in Canada.

Ottawa - The Railway Association of Canada announced its 2007 Safety Award recipients today. They are employees of the Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway who adapted remote work equipment to carry an injured worker to medical care, and, in the passenger category, VIA Rail employees who developed their own risk assessment database to reduce injuries.

Cliff Mackay, president and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada described the initiatives by the employees, with the support of their companies, play a vital role in the maintenance of a safe and viable railway industry. “These two initiatives are excellent examples of this creativity,” he said.

The development of the mobile stretcher in northern Quebec for the Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway was conceived as a means to evacuate injured persons on the railway quickly and efficiently. Since there are no roads or access points on parts of the railway, the modified track maintenance vehicle allowed for evacuation when weather and location would not permit other means to transport an injured person.

The award for VIA Rail employees was for the execution of its risk assessment database which allows managers and Health and Safety Committees to identify dangers, protective measures and to eliminate or reduce risks.
The annual Safety Awards were created by the Railway Association of Canada—which represents some 60 member companies—to encourage workers to adopt safe practices and operational techniques.

Photo: Jean-Pierre Boucher (left), Superintendent, Transport and Maintenance of Way at the Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway accepts an RAC Safety Award from Gérald Gauthier (right), Director, Industry Liaison at the Railway Association of Canada, for the development and implementation of their mobile stretcher unit.

Contact Information:

Roger Cameron
Director, Public Affairs
Railway Association of Canada
rogerc@railcan.ca
613-564-8097

Gerald Gauthier
Director, Industry Liaison
Railway Association of Canada
geraldg@railcan.ca
613-564-8106

OTTAWA, March 23, 2007 - The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) have signed a new two-year agreement to work together to improve community relations between the FCM members and railways.

Jean-François Trepanier, acting CEO of the 1,400-member FCM, and Cliff Mackay, President and CEO of RAC, which represents 56 freight and passenger railways operating in Canada, announced the agreement today on behalf of their organizations.

?Our communities are growing, and so are our transportation needs. We will continue to work with the railways under this agreement to improve communications and to develop benchmarks and guidelines to resolve disputes. We all know we can achieve more,? said Mr. Trepanier.

?Rail currently hauls 65 per cent of surface freight and moves 63 million passengers annually,? said Mr. Mackay. ?We can help reduce road congestion, fuel consumption and pollution by building on our solid track record of environmental performance and working more closely with our community partners.?

During the life of their previous agreement, FCM and RAC established a website (www.proximityissues.ca) with a wide range of information and contacts. The partnership also established several Community Advisory Panels, published the first comprehensive Proximity Guidelines and Best Management Practices resource, and developed and tested a formal disputesettlement process.

The new agreement is designed in part to deal with amendments to the federal Canada Transportation Act, expected to be approved during the current session of Parliament. These amendments will likely confirm that regulating railway noise is a federal responsibility and will require railways and municipalities to undertake a robust consultation and dispute-settlement process before federal regulatory agencies intervene in a dispute.

The agreement will also continue to build on previous work to improve municipal planning, develop new techniques for mitigating noise and vibrations, and further enhance public safety around railway operations.

The Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA), representing city managers and administrators, has also joined the initiative?s steering committee.

Contact Information:

RAC
Roger Cameron
613-564-8097
www.railcan.ca

FCM
Maurice Gingues
613-907-6395
www.fcm.ca

By Kayla Hounsell

After 10 years of planning, the Borough of Westmount is almost ready to begin building a prototype of a new sound barrier to reduce one of their biggest concerns, highway noise.

The barrier is a new design to Canada. ?It?s essentially a curtain wall that lets light come through and doesn?t impede view,? says Westmount Coun. Cynthia Lulham. There was concern over using concrete since the wall will need to be built 10-15 feet (3-5 m) from houses; too close for a wall that reaches 22 feet (7 m) in height at its maximum point. ?There are nice views to the south of these streets and they have to be preserved,? says City Director General Bruce St. Louis. The 50-foot (15 m) long wall will be made of Lexan glass, a type of Plexiglas, supported by metal crossbeams, and will stand on a base of concrete just over a metre high.

The city began looking at the Lexan glass sound barrier five years ago, after Lulham spotted it along a highway in Rome during a family vacation. It sounded suitable, but the city wondered if it had ever been installed in a cold country. Research found the Lexan wall was used in Sweden and Japan and was very successful.

The plan is to build a small test section of the wall first. Located at the south end of a street with houses both perpendicular to and facing the wall, the test section will be fully functional, and will become a permanent section of the completed wall. ?Residents can stand on an ?X? on the road and actually hear the difference,? says Lulham. Though there is noise caused by trains, Lulham says the biggest problem is the highway noise and that?s what this project hopes to solve. St. Louis agrees, but notes that since it?s nearly impossible to erect a sound barrier between the highway and the railway tracks, it will now serve as a barrier to both.

After receiving concerns from residents, the city performed sound tests that gave readings of 75 decibels. ?Any noise level exceeding 65 decibels requires some form of intervention,? says St. Louis. These tests were also needed to prove that this is a health issue, to obtain funding from the Government of Quebec. After dealing with problems ranging from a change in government to a ?mis-filed? document, the deal has now been approved and signed by the minister. The city also had to get Canadian Pacific Railway?s concurrence, whose land the wall will be built on. The railway has fiber optic cables under the ground and it?s important to ensure the cables will not be severed.

The city is concerned whether the $15 million project will constitute a major graffiti center, and if so, the price and difficulty to maintain it. There is also concern whether there will be salt blowing from the highway and dirt from the train tracks. These are things that will be discovered through the test section.

Lulham and St. Louis agree that though it?s been a long process, the project is going well. ?The next step was to go to citizens with the final drawings, and so we can be begin building in the fall,? says Lulham. Focus groups will provide feedback. ?The input from citizens is paramount in a situation like this,? says St. Louis.

The wall will be built in sections, beginning with the test section in October. Once started the Lexan wall will take approximately six weeks to complete. It will take two to three years to accumulate the results of all testing.

Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre today announced that the Government of Canada will provide more than $11 million to improve safety at 80 railway crossings across Canada. Since 1994, Transport Canada has committed more than $100 million to such projects throughout the country.

"Since the grade crossing program was introduced in 1994, accidents, fatalities and injuries have decreased at rail crossings," said Mr. Lapierre. "This funding will allow us to continue to work with rail companies and communities to improve the safety of rail crossings for motorists and pedestrians throughout Canada."

Under Transport Canada?s grade crossing improvement program, eligible railway crossings are either upgraded, relocated or closed. Improvements may include installing flashing lights and gates, adding gates or extra lights to existing systems, linking crossing signals to nearby traffic lights, modifying operating circuits, or adding new circuits or timing devices. The department finances up to 80 per cent of the total cost of the improvements, with the balance provided by the railways, municipalities or provinces and territories.

"Preventing tragedy on railroad tracks is a shared responsibility," added Mr. Lapierre. "The Government of Canada provides funding for warning devices, such as lights, gates and bells, but depends on all Canadians to respect these warnings and approach rail crossings with added caution."

For this reason, Transport Canada supports two other initiatives to improve safety at railway crossings: Operation Lifesaver, a public education program of the Railway Association of Canada that has promoted safety at railway crossings since 1981; and Direction 2006, a partnership of governments, railway companies and their unions working to reduce collisions and trespassing incidents by 50 per cent from the 1995 level by the year 2006.

Funding for the grade crossing improvement program was provided for in the February 2005 main estimates and is therefore built into the existing financial framework.

The full release, the backgrounder on railway crossing facts and a list of the crossings scheduled for improvements can be viewed here

Contact Information:

Cathy Cossaboom
Communications
Transport Canada
(613) 993-0055

Irène Marcheterre
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister
(613) 991-0700

The CN Safe Community Fund has awarded grants totalling $25,000 to ten safe communities across Canada to implement rail safety initiatives. The Fund is administered by the Safe Communities Foundation on behalf of CN.

The initiatives range from staging mock train-vehicle collisions at local high schools and conducting safety blitzes at highway/railway crossings to safety presentations by CN Police to students at all levels and media messaging through public service announcements, newspaper ads, billboards and web sites.

Document(s):
Click here to download the Bellevile document in PDF (39 KB)
Click here to download the Chatham-Kent document in PDF (39 KB)
Click here to download the Hamilton document in PDF (39 KB)
Click here to download the Kingston document in PDF (39 KB)
Click here to download the National document in PDF (39 KB)
Click here to download the Rainy River document in PDF (48 KB)
Click here to download the St. Thomas-Elgin document in PDF (39 KB)
Click here to download the Strathcona document in PDF (39 KB)

Brent Cheek (on right), Director of Standards for RailAmerica and a member of the board of directors of the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame presented a certificate to Mayor Stephen Mandel (on left) inducting the City of Edmonton into the Hall of Fame Saturday night during Alberta's Legacy Centennial Ball.

EDMONTON, May 31, 2004 ? Canada?s municipal governments and railways launched a joint website Monday afternoon that provides a storehouse of information on freight and passenger railways, the communities they serve, contacts in both, and the efforts underway to prevent, or resolve, proximity issues they face together.

The site, www.proximityissues.ca, was launched at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities? annual conference as part of a progress report by the project?s co-chairs Cynthia Lulham, Westmount councillor, and John Dalzell, CN?s vice-president of risk management.

Mayor John Trasolini of Port Moody, city manager Gaetan Royer, and Canadian Pacific Railway community relations manager Rick Poznikoff traced their efforts at dispute resolution through a case study. It helped them understand each other?s needs and processes, and the steps they took ? forward, backward and sideways ? in ?enlightened self-interest.?

?There was a lack of communication, as much as there was good intentions, between the railway and the community at large. Lack of information usually leads to mistrust,? said Mayor Trasolini. ?Port Moody is a city that relies heavily on community participation, tasks forces, and general public participation in civic government. The implementation of a Community Advisory Panel by both the railway and the city is what finally sweetened sour relations.?

He says the people of Port Moody came to understand that ?railways have to be there; they provide a very important function?and residents have a right to live in peace. We have to co-exist.?

Proximity issues can range from the effect of noise and vibrations of train operations and idling locomotives on people living too close to the tracks, to blocked highway/railway crossings, and land use or zoning concerns. ?Railways serve their customers, passenger and freight, through a network of railway connections that, by nature, can involve many communities along the line. Keeping traffic moving smoothly, and safely, is the key to everyone?s success,? said Mr. Poznikoff.

The FCM represents 1,100 municipal governments from coast to coast, to coast, and the 60-member Railway Association of Canada, virtually all the freight and passenger railways operating in Canada. Canada?s railways carry more than 321 billion revenue tonne kilometers of domestic and international freight and 54 million passengers and rail commuters annually.

Contact Information:

Massimo Bergamini
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
613-241-5221 ext. 247

Roger Cameron
Railway Association of Canada
613-564-8097
rogerc@railcan.ca

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) have signed a memorandum of understanding to build common approaches to the prevention and resolution of issues that arise when people live and work in close proximity to railway operations.

The agreement is particularly timely, given Canada?s increasingly urbanized character, growing concern over greenhouse gas emissions, and increased reliance upon rail for moving freight and passengers.

?Joint exploration of best practices for railway operations and land use planning is necessary. Railways and communities both contribute to the economic well being of the country and both are growing. Where these two forces of economic growth intersect, we have to deal with that convergence,? said FCM President, Calgary Alderman, John Schmal.

?Municipal governments can facilitate the education of citizens about the importance of rail to our economy and our quality of life, while the rail industry itself needs to be more sensitive to community and residential realities in our increasingly urbanized country,? he said.

?The success of our efforts will depend, in large measure, upon building mutual understanding of each other?s current structures and processes,? said Bill Rowat, President and CEO of the RAC, which represents 60 freight and passenger railways that operate in Canada. ?With that understanding, municipal governments and railways will be better able to avoid future disputes and resolve existing issues without escalation to costly legal procedures.?

?The work we are beginning will grow in importance as Canada, one of the most trade-dependant countries in the world, increasingly relies on rail corridors to carry freight to and from our trading partners, ? said Mr. Rowat.

The MOU will be implemented by a joint Steering Committee with equal representation of members from both associations. The initial mandate is to develop commonly understood proximity guidelines, to improve awareness among all stakeholders of the need for effective planning and management, and to develop a dispute resolution protocol to guide concerned parties when issues emerge.

The Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators will play a consultative role in the implementation of the MOU. Representation is also expected from other sectors, such as residential and commercial development, urban and transportation planning, as well as the academic sector.

Contact Information:

Massimo Bergamini
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
613-241-5221 ext. 247

Roger Cameron
Railway Association of Canada
613-564-8097