Canada finalizes rail transport regs

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) announced last week that amendments to freight-rail transport regulations, including those related to interswitching, have been finalized.

The regulations prescribe filing requirements for freight railway companies so that CTA can validate that they are carrying a minimum amount of third-party liability insurance coverage, CTA officials said in a press release.

The amended regulations also designate rail-related provisions of the act, and CTA orders, as subject to penalties of up to CA$25,000 per violation, and amend Railway Switching Regulations to ensure consistency with recently amended interswitching provisions of the Canada Transportation Act.

Amendments followed consultations with members of Canadian and U.S. freight and passenger railroads, rail tourism operators, industry associations, shipper associations and associations representing logistics and freight management, private companies that use rail and other industry experts.