Changes to improve rail safety were announced Wednesday by federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt in response to recommendations made by the Transportation Safety Board in the aftermath of the tragedy in Lac-Mégantic, Que.
The federal government wants a three-year phase-out or retrofit of older tank cars that are used to transport crude oil by rail, but will not implement a key TSB recommendation that rail companies conduct route planning when transporting dangerous goods.
Raitt is making the announcement at a press conference in Ottawa Wednesday. CBCNews.ca is carrying the press conference live.
The TSB has called for the phasing out of the older model DOT-111 tank cars that are widely used to move oil by rail because they are prone to punctures and gas buildup.
Last summer's Lac-Mégantic, Que., derailment and explosion that killed 47 people pushed the issue of rail safety into the spotlight.
The transport minister also announced that mandatory emergency response plans will be required for all crude oil shipments in Canada. The plans will be mandatory for trains even if they are carrying only a single tank car of crude oil, gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, or ethanol.
Raitt also said railway companies will be required to reduce the speed of trains carrying dangerous goods. There was no indication of what the speed limits would be.
In addition, she announced the creation of a task force that will be composed of representatives from municipalities, first responders, railways and shippers to work on strengthening emergency response capacity across the country.
There was no mention in Raitt's announcement of a requirement for route planning. Generally, railway companies prefer the shortest routes possible for transporting goods and may have resisted the idea of using less populated routes when carrying dangerous products.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair, commenting before Raitt's announcement, said the changes are not enough to protect the safety of Canadians now.
"They're going to try and tell us today that they're acting on that [the safety of rail tanker cars] but she's going to try and set a timeline for years from now. What happens in the meantime in all those communities where this very dangerous material is being transported today? That's the real question and she's not going to have an answer for that," he told reporters earlier Wednesday on Parliament Hill.
On Jan. 23, the TSB made three recommendations in response to the Lac-Mégantic explosion last July, in which 47 people were killed after a runaway train carrying oil derailed.
The TSB recommended:
- Enhanced safety standards for Class 111 tank cars used to transport flammable liquids.
- Railway companies that transport dangerous goods be required to conduct route planning and analysis.
- Emergency response assistance plans be in place when large volumes of liquid hydrocarbons are shipped by rail.
The TSB asked the government to respond to its recommendation within 90 days. Raitt's announcement Wednesday meets that deadline.
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