Rail transportation guides

This is a guide for freight railways. It explains:

• the forms railways must submit to the CTA (Annual Certificate of Compliance for Railway Operations in Canada, Certificate of Insurance; and Detailed Volume Report);
• the minimum levels of liability insurance that freight railways must have to get and keep their railway licence (certificate of fitness);
• how the insurance levels are higher for railways that carry dangerous goods (the more the railway carries, the more insurance it must have);
• how the CTA confirms what insurance level a railway should have and monitors railways to ensure they are maintaining the proper level;
• railways' reporting responsibilities related to dangerous goods and insurance; and
• the special requirements for railways involved in accidents involving certain dangerous goods.

See also: Guide to Certificates of Fitness.

This page has been archived on the Web.

This is a guide for different levels of governments in Canada, including urban transit authorities, as well as others who want to acquire railway lines, sidings, or spurs that a railway plans to discontinue. If those involved cannot agree on the value of the line being discontinued (including the land, track assets, or other materials or structures), the CTA can help. The guide describes:

• steps the railway must follow before discontinuing a line (including offering to sell, lease, or transfer the line to someone else);
• what "net salvage value" means and how it is calculated;
• the different CTA services available for assessing or setting net salvage values;
• how to apply for the CTA service you want, including what information to send us;
• what happens once you apply (steps and timelines); and
• some past CTA decisions involving net salvage values.

See also: Transfer and Discontinuance of Railway Line Operations and Railway Track Determinations: A Resource Tool.

This is a guide for shippers and railways who are involved in Final Offer Arbitration (FOA). It explains:

• the process for finding an arbitrator the shipper and the railway agree on, which asks each side to identify their preferred arbitrators from the roster established by the CTA;
• how the CTA selects an arbitrator if the shipper and railway do not agree;
• how and when the shipper or railway can challenge the appointment of the arbitrator;
• what happens if an arbitrator leaves and must be replaced, including who pays for the arbitrator's fees up to that point.

See also: Final Offer Arbitration: A Resource Tool