Let’s Talk: Modernizing the Railway Employee Qualification Standards Regulations
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Consultation has concluded
Transport Canada is proposing to modernize the Railway Employee Qualification Standards Regulations, which haven’t been updated since they were published in 1987. Since the 1980s, there have been major changes to the way the rail industry operates and the technology it uses.
In Canada, Transport Canada regulates the training and qualifications for employees of federally-regulated railway companies. Employees are trained to make sure that they’re competent and qualified to work in their position.
The changes Transport Canada is proposing
Under the changes we’re proposing, railway companies will still be able to decide how to train and qualify their employees.
Transport Canada is proposing to modernize the regulations so they include the minimum requirements and guidance on:
who the regulations apply to, including conductors, locomotive engineers, hostlers, yard persons, remote control locomotive operators, rail traffic controllers, instructors, coaches and evaluators
training, including initial training, simulator, on-the-job, territory familiarization, continuing, recertification and return-to-duty training. The regulations will also outline minimum requirements for exams and evaluations
a way to evaluate how effective a company’s training is
Why make these changes?
Making these changes will help us:
update the regulations based on operational and technology changes
provide consistent training requirements, which will make it easier for companies to follow and for Transport Canada to enforce
set minimum standards to complement the Railway Safety Management System Regulations
These changes will help us make sure that Canada’s federally-regulated railway companies continue to train and qualify their employees to perform their duties in a competent and safe way.
We want to hear from you
We want to hear from stakeholders and the Canadian public. Your opinions and feedback are important. Please read our Discussion Paper, and have your say. There are two ways to participate:
Choose “Register” at the top of the page, and join the discussion under the “Have Your Say” tab
You can also submit your comments in a Word or PDF document through the “Submissions” tab. You can upload more than one document
Next steps
Once the comment period closes, we will publish a “What we heard report” online. Any changes we make based on comments we receive will also be referenced in the Canada Gazette, Part 1.
Transport Canada is proposing to modernize the Railway Employee Qualification Standards Regulations, which haven’t been updated since they were published in 1987. Since the 1980s, there have been major changes to the way the rail industry operates and the technology it uses.
In Canada, Transport Canada regulates the training and qualifications for employees of federally-regulated railway companies. Employees are trained to make sure that they’re competent and qualified to work in their position.
The changes Transport Canada is proposing
Under the changes we’re proposing, railway companies will still be able to decide how to train and qualify their employees.
Transport Canada is proposing to modernize the regulations so they include the minimum requirements and guidance on:
who the regulations apply to, including conductors, locomotive engineers, hostlers, yard persons, remote control locomotive operators, rail traffic controllers, instructors, coaches and evaluators
training, including initial training, simulator, on-the-job, territory familiarization, continuing, recertification and return-to-duty training. The regulations will also outline minimum requirements for exams and evaluations
a way to evaluate how effective a company’s training is
Why make these changes?
Making these changes will help us:
update the regulations based on operational and technology changes
provide consistent training requirements, which will make it easier for companies to follow and for Transport Canada to enforce
set minimum standards to complement the Railway Safety Management System Regulations
These changes will help us make sure that Canada’s federally-regulated railway companies continue to train and qualify their employees to perform their duties in a competent and safe way.
We want to hear from you
We want to hear from stakeholders and the Canadian public. Your opinions and feedback are important. Please read our Discussion Paper, and have your say. There are two ways to participate:
Choose “Register” at the top of the page, and join the discussion under the “Have Your Say” tab
You can also submit your comments in a Word or PDF document through the “Submissions” tab. You can upload more than one document
Next steps
Once the comment period closes, we will publish a “What we heard report” online. Any changes we make based on comments we receive will also be referenced in the Canada Gazette, Part 1.
