In Aftermath of Quebec Rail Disaster, Saskatchewan Government Must Review And Ensure Community Safety
A number of Saskatchewan mayors have recently expressed concern over the safety of their communities in view of the Lac-Mégantic disaster and the many rail lines that run through populated areas in this province.
Saskatchewan has thousands of kilometers of rail line which crisscross the province. Most of these fall under Federal jurisdiction but more than 2,000 km of rail are under provincial jurisdiction. Provincial responsibility includes smaller shortline railways which move grain, oil and wood products. These shortline rail operations are an important link between remote delivery points in rural areas to the big mainline rail operators like CN and Canadian Pacific who can then move products to port.
In view of the disaster that has recently happened in Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan has an immediate responsibility to assess and review the risks and threat to its citizens from potential rail disasters in this province.
This review must include rail lines under both provincial and federal jurisdiction.
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