Evidence of meeting #6 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was transport.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Director General, Transport Dangerous Goods, Department of Transport
Just to make sure I understand, chlorine is already identified and classified as a dangerous good. But we are continuing to study the behaviours of chlorine, for example, just to make sure our regulatory regime is appropriate.
Director General, Transport Dangerous Goods, Department of Transport
Same thing.
Director General, Transport Dangerous Goods, Department of Transport
We are continuing our studies on crude oil. Part of our crude oil research, which we published earlier this summer, looked at the different types of crude oil. We're continuing to do our exercise in terms of understanding other characteristics and behaviours.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Related to that, there were recommendations in 2015 by the committee for regulations for the transload facilities. Of course, there are already 24-hour crude loading facilities in Alberta and another one being proposed.
Are those regulations forthcoming? What was your position on the proposed environmental assessment of the Hardisty terminal?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, Department of Transport
Ms. Girard may have something to add, Madam Chair.
We have regulations in place that cover transloading facilities, and they are one of the primary targets of inspections. Those happen on a regular basis.
I don't have any comment on the environmental assessment process. It's not something I'm a specialist on.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, Department of Transport
The inspections of transloading facilities...?
NDP
Director General, Transport Dangerous Goods, Department of Transport
Our national oversight program has prioritized our inspection of transloading facilities, so we already have it in place.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Perhaps you could send those to me, because I haven't been able to find them.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
My concern in my riding.... I have a highly populated riding. Essentially, my riding is being used as a parking lot for dangerous rail cargo, including blocking major intersections, all with no security.
How is this activity being addressed in the risk management reports?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, Department of Transport
There are already requirements for train securement. In the emergency directive and the then-following rule that came into place in terms of train securement, there were requirements for how trains needed to be left secure so that they were protected from trespassing and other risks as well as runaway trains and other types of dangers. Those are addressed in the regulations, or the rules in this particular case. There is also a focus put on by our inspectors in those areas, as well.
In terms of blocking areas, there are also requirements in our regular operating rules as to what can be done in that regard. Again, if there is a complaint about a particular area, then our inspectors typically get involved with the community.
Conservative
Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
If you'll excuse me, I'm dealing with a really bad cold.
I think there are a lot of questions we have that tend to overlap one another. But I want to go back to the railway operating certificate regulations that were finalized in November 2014 and ask if all railways operating in Canada have met the new regulations that were described in that document.
Director General, Rail Safety, Department of Transport
In terms of the regulations, any new railway companies must comply with the requirement to have a railway operating certificate from day one. The existing railways have until January 2017 to comply, and the applications are coming in.
Conservative
Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK
How many different rail routes in Canada require risk assessment? This goes back to a question my colleague asked. How many require risk assessments, and how long is the average rail route or segment?
Director General, Rail Safety, Department of Transport
I can answer that question. We look at the requirement for risk assessment in terms of company rather than type. There are definitions under “key route” and “key train”, in terms of where the corridor or the route risk assessment must be conducted.
When the emergency directive was first issued, there were nine companies that fell under it. Among those, five had to submit risk assessments because of the volumes of dangerous goods they were carrying. Since then, the number of companies has fallen to four. The four companies that currently carry 10,000 or more loaded cars of dangerous goods are required to provide us with risk assessments.
The new rules require that the risk assessment be done, at a minimum, every three years. That is complemented by the requirement of the safety management system. If they are making significant changes to the operations, they are also required to conduct risk assessments, and to make those available upon request.
Conservative
Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK
Just to make sure I understand you correctly, you said that the risk assessments are dependent upon the company that is involved. There were nine companies and now there are four.
Conservative
Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK
Do they also include, as you've said, dangerous goods and the route that is being travelled?
Director General, Rail Safety, Department of Transport
The requirement of the rule applies to companies that carry a certain volume of dangerous goods. There were nine companies that indicated that they were carrying a certain volume of dangerous goods. Of those nine, some had a volume at a level that required them to submit risk assessments, so five out of nine were required to submit risk assessments.
