OTTAWA – Municipal leaders emerged from a meeting with Transport Minister Lisa Raitt determined to see railways, shippers and producers of dangerous goods assume full liability for accidents and spills.
Municipalities are now being notified about the types of freight shipped through their precincts.
Starting in April, rail companies will have to submit a report every 90 days a summary of all material carried through municipalities.
This will help officials in the event of an emergency.
Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison, who is part of the railway safety working group, said a lot of progress is being made but he wants to know who’s going to pay for what.
He said municipalities should be responsible for cleanups and shouldn’t have to buy insurance to cover disasters.
Atchison also said the group expressed concerns over traffic interruptions caused by trains passing through busy towns and cities.
“If you have a heart attack, how can we say we can’t get there to help you because the train is blocking the way. That serves nobody well,” Atchison said.
With files from The Canadian Press
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