10 years after Lac-Mégantic, NDP continues fight for stronger rail laws

BURNS LAKE - Today, on the 10-year anniversary of the Lac Mégantic rail disaster, Canada’s New Democrats honoured the memory of the 47 people who were killed and pledged to continue to push for federal changes to prevent future such disasters.

On July 6, 2013, a runaway train with 72 tank cars full of oil derailed and exploded in the center of the small town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, resulting in one of the worst rail disasters in Canadian history.

“On the 10-year anniversary of the tragedy in Lac-Megantic, our thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives, and with all community members who were so profoundly affected,” says NDP Transport Critic Taylor Bachrach (Skeena-Bulkley Valley). “It is in their memory that we continue to push for stronger rail safety laws that hold rail corporations accountable.”

The Lac-Megantic tragedy drew Canadians’ attention to the lack of safety measures in Canada’s rail system, and yet a decade later, successive Liberal and Conservative governments have failed to undertake necessary reforms to federal law and regulations.

“The reality is that another Lac-Mégantic-scale disaster is still possible because the culture of corporate capture and self-regulation that allowed it to occur still exists,” said Bachrach. “At the same time, the volume of dangerous goods shipped by rail has increased dramatically, which means the stakes have never been higher.”

Transportation Safety Board records show 9,283 rail accidents occurred in Canada between 2013 and 2022, with 1,061 of them involving dangerous goods. The incidents killed 559 people and seriously injured 529 others.

Bachrach led efforts last year to have the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities hold hearings on the state of rail safety in Canada. The resulting report contains 33 recommendations to strengthen Canada’s rail safety regime. Yet, when the government tabled their plan to improve rail safety, not a single recommendation was included.

“The Auditor General, the Environment Commissioner, the Transportation Safety Board, and the Transport Committee have all been ringing the alarm bells, but the minister seems to be asleep at the switch,” said Bachrach. “If we don’t see substantive reforms soon, I am deeply concerned that another major, and preventable disaster will take place.”