The Chaudière-Appalaches Regional Health and Social Services Board conducted a study on the Charny yard and noise zones at night. The noise is so intense that people cannot sleep. They wake up in the middle of the night. People have reported high stress levels. Amongst other things, there are reports of children who are not doing as well in school and senior whose stress levels have gone up, and who even have developed more serious illnesses due to stress. Some of my friends who live near the yard sleep in their basements at night and have to use ear plugs.
Bill C-11 will give the transportation agency the power to issue orders, but is the word “unreasonable ” strong enough to address all the situations I have just described? CN, CP and all the other railway companies will repeat what they did in 1999 when they took their case before the Federal Court in Ontario to challenge the very severe ruling the CTA had made against CN. That is what I fear.