Minister of Transport releases statement launching public consultation to improve the safety culture within Canada's railway industry

OTTAWA, ON, July 20, 2021 /CNW/ - The Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, issued this statement regarding Transport Canada's latest efforts to improve the safety culture of Canada's rail industry:

"The Government of Canada is committed to the safety and security of communities across the country, which is why we continue to look for ways to improve rail safety.

"Today, Transport Canada launched a public consultation on the Let's Talk Transportation Web page to gauge views on improving the safety culture within Canada's rail industry.

"Safety culture comes from organizations developing shared values, actions and behaviours, along with a sense of collective responsibility and commitment to upholding the standard of safety.

"Transport Canada is committed to taking the lead on developing a safety culture policy statement for the railway industry in response to a recommendation from the 2018 Railway Safety Act review, recognizing that safety culture improvements must be driven by railway companies with support by the department.

"The draft policy statement is intended to open a dialogue and to encourage continued collaboration between Transport Canada, railway companies, industry associations, labour organizations and academia, while helping to position Canada's rail transportation system to meet the challenges of the next decade.

"We know that a positive safety culture is a key component of a safe railway system and a necessary factor for continuous improvement. Transport Canada will work with the rail industry and other key stakeholders towards a final safety culture policy statement for the Canada's rail industry, which provides a framework to help railway companies understand and address the challenges involved in building a good safety culture.

"Public consultation is a key component in developing a robust culture policy statement for Canada's railway industry.

"I encourage Canadians to provide feedback on the draft statement for Canada's rail industry, as every voice and opinion counts."

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This statement may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities.

SOURCE Transport Canada