CIAC Urges house committee to Amend Bill C-49, The Transportation Modernization Act

On September 13th, Bob Masterson, CIAC President and CEO, and Kara Edwards, Director Transportation, appeared in front of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities to discuss CIAC’s recommendations on Bill C-49, The Transportation Modernization Act.

During his opening remarks, Masterson conveyed three key messages:

  1. The chemistry industry plays an important role in the Canadian economy, making efficient and competitive rail transportation critical to our industry. More than three quarters of the industry’s annual shipments move by rail — accounting for nearly 14 per cent, or one-seventh of all freight shipments in the country.
  2. The industry enthusiastically applauds the work of Minister Garneau and his Department. They have listened, and both the Transportation 2030 agenda and Bill C-49 are responsive to the long-standing concerns expressed by our industry with regards to Canada’s freight rail system.
  3. The industry wants to see Bill C-49 advance promptly, and while we do not wish to introduce new measures, we do believe amendments may be necessary to ensure the provisions of the Act will indeed meet their intended objectives. Specifically, with respect to the data transparency provisions, level of service, the role of Canada’s Transportation Agency, and Long Haul Interswitching Provisions (LHI).