Transport Canada to require more freight rail data to help supply chain transparency

Amendments to the Transportation Information Regulations have been announced which will increase supply chain transparency and create a better understanding of the performance of Canada’s freight rail sector for the benefit of all rail users.

The regulation amendments

These amendments aim to strengthen the accountability of freight rail service providers, by requiring major railways to provide Transport Canada with enhanced service and performance information. This information will significantly enhance the value of the information being collected and will be published weekly on the Government of Canada’s Transportation Data and Information Hub to provide Canadians with a better picture of end-to-end freight rail performance

Major railways will also provide Transport Canada with additional data to support targeted public policy and other regulatory purposes, including waybill information (such as origin, destination, weight) and traffic data (such as number of carloads, goods, and car types).

These changes will come into force on 4 April 2023 and will significantly expand upon the service and performance data currently collected following the implementation of the Transportation Modernisation Act of 2018.

Importance of the amendments

The amendments to the Transportation Information Regulations are an important part of the Government of Canada’s response to the issues raised in the National Supply Chain Task Force’s Final Report.

“Moving Canadian goods to market efficiently is vital for Canada’s future economic success,” Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, said. “Ensuring access to detailed service and performance information for Canada’s railway sector is another way we are contributing to building even more productive exchanges among supply chain members. This also reflects our commitment to strengthening Canada’s supply chain and improving our economy.”