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Railway Association of Canada (RAC) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) agreed to jointly develop guidelines aimed at preventing and resolving issues arising from people who live and work near railroad operations.


The associations plan to form a joint steering committee that would develop more commonly understood proximity guidelines, promote the need for effective planning and management, and create a dispute-resolution protocol.


"The success of our efforts will depend, in large measure, upon building mutual understanding of each other's current structures and processes," said RAC President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Rowat in a prepared statement. "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."


Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators would act as a consultant to RAC and FCM. The committee also would seek input from residential and commercial-development firms, urban and transportation-planning companies, and universities.