Consultation on the Guide on Applying for Approval to Construct a Railway Line and Indigenous Engagement Framework for Railway Line Construction

The Canadian Transportation Agency (Agency) is requesting comments from the railway industry and other interested stakeholders on its proposed:

1. Guide on Applying for Approval to Construct a Railway Line (Guide);
2. Indigenous Engagement Framework for Railway Line Construction (Framework).

Background

The Agency has the authority to approve the construction of federally-regulated railway lines under section 98 of the Canada Transportation Act.

The Agency may approve an application to construct a railway line if it determines that the location of the railway line is reasonable taking into consideration the:

• requirements for railway operations and services; and
• interests of the localities that will be affected by the railway line.

Guide

The Agency has developed the Guide to inform industry of the process to follow when seeking approval to construct a federally-regulated railway line. The Guide outlines the applicant's requirement to consult with the localities, including Indigenous communities, and describes the information that railway companies will be required to file with the Agency to support an efficient application review process.

Framework

The Agency recognizes the importance of considering the impact that its determinations may have on Indigenous communities and the need for them to be appropriately engaged. The Framework acknowledges the importance that the Agency places on Indigenous engagement and consolidates the Agency's expectations on how applicants are to engage Indigenous communities when proposing to construct a railway line.

Call for comments

The Agency invites interested stakeholders to submit their comments on the proposed Guide and Framework based on the following questions:

1. Is there anything that needs to be more clearly explained in the Guide on the:
   1. applicant's requirement to consult with the localities; and
   2. information that the applicant is required to file with the Agency in support of its application?
2. What additional clarification would help applicants so that they can file a complete application?
3. Is there anything that needs to be more clearly explained in the Framework on how the applicants are to engage Indigenous communities that may be affected by the location of the railway line?

Persons may submit their written comments no later than the close of business on April 10, 2017.

All submissions filed as part of this consultation process will be considered public documents and, as such, may be posted on the Agency's website.