Transport Committee on April 13th, 2016

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

It's interesting, the call for a tax credit. I would be interested in further discussion, not here right now, as to why you can't just write off those costs and as to why you would be asking for a tax credit. I think that's something it sounds like we'd like to look into if we ever get around to looking at the Emerson report, which I'm hoping that we do.

I have a question for all of you that arose from the Lac-Mégantic tragedy, and is on the request for an exemption of the rules to allow for one locomotive engineer. I would like to ask you how often do you make requests for exemptions and do you make similar kinds of requests for one locomotive engineer?

[Ryan Ratledge]

I'll go first.

We've not made any such requests. On the U.S. side, we inherited some single-person crews. We actually eliminated that practice and now operate with two-person crews in the U.S.

[Perry Pellerin]

We're very much the same. We actually have a minimum of two-person crews. In occasions where we have extensive switching, we actually add a third person and have no intention of changing that.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Third company....

[Frank Butzelaar]

We only operate today with three-man crews but we have provisions to run two-man crews in certain situations. We have never operated a single-person crew or have any intention to operate a single-person crew.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Okay, thank you very much.

Inter-switching is a bit of a mystery to me. Am I to understand that you are probably the companies that are providing the inter-switching, particularly for grain? I know it's a big issue in the Emerson report and we are at odds with where the grain farmers are versus the rail companies. Is that what we're also talking about here? Are you also delivering loads from one main company to another main company? Or are you simply just shipping direct cargo that you've been hired to ship?

[Perry Pellerin]

We just ship direct cargo. Actually, if you look at the inter-switching, at least in Saskatchewan, which is all I could speak for, without totally confirming it, I'd venture to guess that none of our short lines have handled that type of traffic.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Okay, thanks. I will turn it over to others. I know lots of you would like to ask questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you, Ms. Duncan.

I think the committee has exhausted all their questions. We've had a tremendous amount of information provided to us today and we may come back to you with some emails or some questions.

One second, Ms. Watts has—

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Sorry, I don't want to pass up on that time and I thank you for that.

With the other rail lines, we were having the conversation around dangerous intersections. In terms of identifying any of the dangerous intersections with any of you folks, how do you manage them? What do you do about it?

Who wants to go first?

[Frank Butzelaar]

I could start.

Certainly we're monitoring the volume of traffic we're moving across every grade crossing. If the amount of traffic we're handling significantly increases, we automatically do a risk assessment and that will likely involve our going to the community and asking for road traffic volumes. Then we'll do the cross-product and that will determine whether something needs to be done on that particular crossing. Every time there's a significant change in the business, whether it be the volume or the commodities we handle, that triggers a risk assessment and the risk assessment will look at the crossings that are impacted.

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

That's perfect. Thank you.

Is that equally so with you? Yes? Okay.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much.

Thank you to all the witnesses.

If the committee has further questions after they've slept on some of the information you've provided us, we may try to communicate through the clerk, or directly, to get some answers as we try to tie up the study.

Just to remind the committee, we have committee business yet to do today.

[Proceedings continue in camera]