Municipalities to receive quarterly reports of dangerous goods transported by rail

Tracks west of Coleman
C. Davis file photo

Chris Davis, Crowsnest Voice

Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) has been in contact with Pincher Creek Emergency Services to let them know that they will be receiving a report from CPR every 3 months regarding the kinds of loads that have passed through the area.


On November 20 Federal Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt issued Protective Direction No. 32, which   directs rail companies to share more information with municipalities.

Effective immediately, Transport Canada requires that:

• Any Canadian Class 1 railway company that transports dangerous goods must provide municipalities with yearly aggregate information, presented by quarter, on the nature and volume of dangerous goods the company transports by rail through that municipality; and

• Any person who transports dangerous goods by rail, who is not a Canadian Class 1 railway company, must provide municipalities with yearly aggregate information on the nature and volume of dangerous goods transported through that municipality and notify municipalities of any significant changes to that information, as soon as possible.

The Protective Direction was issued pursuant to section 32 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992 and will remain in effect for three years, or until cancelled by the Minister or her designate, in order to allow the department sufficient time to develop appropriate permanent regulations.  ~ excerpted from Protective Direction 32

Pincher Creek Emergency Services Chief Dave Cox said that although this will not assist in an immediate emergency situation such as a derailment, it will help greatly as a planning tool for Pincher Creek Emergency Services. Chief Cox said it will assist them in one of the three transportation modes that PCES monitors, railways, the other two being highways and pipelines.
In the case of an immediate incident it is intended that Emergency Services will be in  direct contact with the conductor or CPR to find out what was on the specific train.

Related link:
Protective Direction No. 32