On tenth anniversary of Lac Megantic disaster, Taylor Bachrach reminds on need for stronger rail laws, lack of action by Federal Government

Images of Lac Megantic before and after July 6, 2013
from Montreal's La Press newspaper

Today marks the 10th anniversary of a significant event in Canadian history that of the rail disaster in Lac Megantic, Quebec, the memory of 47 lives lost and a community forever shattered both on the mind of Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Taylor Bachrach on the day.

“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. It is in their memory that we continue to push for stronger rail safety laws that hold rail corporations accountable.

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.”

The MP who is also the NDP's Transport Critic noted of the anniversary today as he continued on with his work towards having expanded rail safety measures implemented across Canada, a push that came as a direct result for the tragedy ten years ago.

click to enlarge

The incident was the focus of a House of Commons report from the Standing Committee on Transport, infrastructure and Communities which was delivered in May of 2022.

Yet as the MP notes, that fall the Government's Bill C-33 passed over the large volume of recommendations. 

A situation that has left the Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP concerned for the future.

“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. If we don’t see substantive reforms soon, I am deeply concerned that another major, and preventable disaster will take place.” -- NDP MP and Transport critic Taylor Bachrach

The issue of rail safety is a vital one for residents across the Northwest, with a full service rail line I operation between Prince George and port facilities in Prince Rupert.

A transportation corridor that transits any number of goods through many communities along the corridor and is destined to see increased volumes as new terminal facilities are built in the Prince Rupert area.

Notes related to rail service across the Northwest are available here.

A look at more of the work of the Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP can be reviewed here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.