Bill C-371

Rail Passenger Priority Act

An Act to amend the Canada Transportation Act (passenger rail service)

Sponsor

Taylor Bachrach  NDP

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Outside the Order of Precedence (a private member's bill that hasn't yet won the draw that determines which private member's bills can be debated), as of Dec. 13, 2023

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Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment amends the Canada Transportation Act to require that railway companies give priority to passenger rail service over the movement of freight and to provide for administrative monetary penalties for contraventions of this requirement.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Rail Passenger Priority ActRoutine Proceedings

December 13th, 2023 / 4:15 p.m.
See context

NDP

Taylor Bachrach NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-371, An Act to amend the Canada Transportation Act (passenger rail service).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today, as the NDP's transport critic, to table the rail passenger priority act.

As many in this chamber know, Canada lags behind much of the world when it comes to passenger rail. One of the key reasons for that is because passenger trains in Canada frequently have to pull off and make way for freight trains. This results in poor on-time performance.

This bill would amend the Canada Transportation Act to give passenger trains in Canada priority on the tracks, just as federal law does in the United States and as was recently recommended by the CEO of VIA Rail.

Canada has the opportunity to seize the full potential of safe, convenient, climate-friendly passenger rail in this country.

On Sunday, I will be setting out, by train, across our beautiful country, to speak with passengers and communities about how the rail passenger priority act is an important part of that endeavour.

Merry Christmas.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)