Canada wants to boost freight rail operations by the newly presented Fair Rail Freight Service Act, Bill C-52. The bill aims to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and reliability of the rail system.
The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) supports the intent of the new bill, but it recommends changes to help reduce the regulatory burden and help the legislation reach its stated intent.
"The bill is an important step forward in helping to ensure that rail shippers can deliver their goods in a timely, predictable and cost effective way", stated David Lindsay, President and CEO of FPAC.
"However we want to make three recommendations that would improve the bill and help restore balance in the rail system."
FPAC recommends:
- “Remove all references to the word "operational" so that arbitrators would not have to sift through mountains of railway operational data. This would add costs and a burden that would diminish the power of the legislation.
- Delete all reference to "statutory obligations to other shippers and third parties". We do not believe it was the government's intent to have external and irrelevant information drawn into an arbitration over a very specific service failure between a shipper and railroad.
- Insert a new stand-alone section to define "adequate and suitable accommodation" and "service obligations". Shippers and the railways have already agreed we must hold firm on what a service agreement should address. Otherwise we risk diluting the legislation over time.”
FPAC provides a voice for Canada's wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs.
