Senate Committee includes two key amendments as Bill C-49 passes third reading

CIAC was pleased to see its two key proposed amendments included when the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications met to go through Bill C-49, the Transportation Modernization Act, on March 27.

The two amendments proposed by CIAC involved allowing the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) the ability to investigate on its own initiative and providing costing determination by the CTA in final offer arbitration.

As part of a group of key shippers promoting these two amendments, CIAC had the opportunity to discuss the proposed amendments with Transport Minister Marc Garneau and Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr.

Bill C-49 has passed third reading in the Senate and will now go back to the House of Commons. CIAC does not expect the government to accept all the amendments made by the Senate, but we are working diligently to get our amendments through.

We will continue to work with Minister Garneau’s office and our rail shipper coalition partners to ensure the final bill is capable of addressing shippers’ long-standing concerns in these and other areas.

Bill C-49 will next return to the House of Commons, which is set to return on April 16.

When promulgated into force, CIAC will turn attention to working with Transport Canada to develop the necessary supporting regulations, and with Transport Canada and the CTA to ensure smooth introduction of the Act and related regulations.

More on the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications amendments to Bill C-49.

Watch the proceedings of the Committee.