Transport Canada amends grade crossing regulations

Canada's Transport Minister Omar Alghabra yesterday announced new regulation amendments aimed at increasing safety at Canada's federally regulated grade crossings.

The amendments are designed to preserve core safety objectives while providing financial relief to public and private authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic by extending compliance deadlines and ensuring that low-risk crossings are not subject to an undue burden, Transport Canada officials said in a press release.

The amendments include:
• a one-year extension for existing public crossings that present a higher risk;
• a three-year extension for all remaining public and all private crossings; and
• an exclusion from the construction and maintenance requirements for very low-risk crossings, such as field-to-field crossings with minimal train traffic.

"The global pandemic has resulted in widespread financial hardship, including for local governments and private owners of grade crossings. The final amendments to the grade crossings regulations ... will focus efforts on reducing the risks of preventable accidents at grade crossings while being mindful of economic realities," said Alghabra.