Grade crossings to be safer with Government of Canada investment
OTTAWA — The Honourable Rob Merrifield, Minister of State (Transport), today announced that the Government of Canada will provide $7.1 million in new funding for the Grade Crossing Improvement Program (GCIP) this year. In addition, the Economic Action Plan provides $28 million over the next five years to further enhance grade crossings.
"Our government takes the issue of rail safety very seriously," said Minister Merrifield. "We are committed to further reducing injuries and fatalities at crossings across the country. In collaboration with rail companies and communities, we are improving safety for motorists and pedestrians alike."
Rail safety in Canada will additionally benefit from the Government of Canada's 2009 Economic Action Plan, which is accelerating and expanding recent historic federal investment in infrastructure with almost $12 billion in new infrastructure stimulus funding over two years. This includes $28 million over five years to enhance the GCIP, which will help save lives by improving safety at public grade crossings across Canada.
"Safety at railway crossings is something we can all get behind," said Canada's Transport Minister John Baird. "Communities across the country will be safer because our government is making these safety improvements happen."
The Government of Canada works closely with railway companies and communities to identify grade crossings that require safety improvements.
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