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e-103 (Rail transportation)

E-petition
Initiated by Eleni Vassilakos from Toronto, Ontario

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled

Whereas:
  • An alarming increase in the transportation of volatile crude oil by rail, using unsafe tank cars, has occurred since 2009;
  • The federal budget for rail transport safety has been reduced by more than 20% over the last 5 years;
  • Industry does not carry sufficient insurance to cover the true cost of a catastrophic derailment through a densly populated area; and
  • Railways are required to provide first responders with historical data (not real-time data) of hazardous goods being shipped through our neighbourhoods. No information is provided to residents.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
1) Set the standard (maximum vapour pressure) for volatility of crude oil and require industry to invest in technologies available in order to reduce the volatility of crude oil transported by rail;
2) Increase the rail safety transport budget to strengthen government oversight of the Rail Safety Management System and increase the number of rail inspectors;
3) Require unlimited liability for industry, and require industry to carry sufficient insurance to cover the true costs of a catastrophic derailment in a densely populated area;
4) Require railways to share real-time data on dangerous goods with first responders and historical data with residents;
5) Provide the public with railway route analyses and risk assessments;
6) Require industry to implement safety technology, including; Positive Train Control (PTC), Automated Rail Car Monitoring and Automated Track Inspection Program;
7) Establish effective tank car improvements;
8) Implement independent risk analysis of the transportation of dangerous goods by rail; and
9) Monitor and enforce train speeds.
Government response tabled on November 4, 2016 (Sessional Paper No. 8545-421-10-06)
Open for signature
February 19, 2016, at 3:16 p.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
June 18, 2016, at 3:16 p.m. (EDT)
Presented to the House of Commons
Arif Virani (Parkdale—High Park)
September 21, 2016 (Petition No. 421-00572)
Government response tabled
November 4, 2016
Photo - Arif Virani
Parkdale—High Park
Liberal Caucus
Ontario