Transportation Safety Board of Canada

After the Manitoba crash, Canada needs to rethink bus safety

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
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The recent collision between a bus and a semi-truck near Carberry, Man., which killed 16 seniors, is the latest fatal incident to raise concerns about bus and road safety in Canada.

Key Points: 
  • The recent collision between a bus and a semi-truck near Carberry, Man., which killed 16 seniors, is the latest fatal incident to raise concerns about bus and road safety in Canada.
  • The crash shares similarities to other fatal bus crashes like the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash and the 2019 bus rollover on Vancouver Island.

Road transportation is a provincial responsibility

    • When it comes to road transportation, Canada adheres to an archaic regulatory framework that can be traced all the way back to confederation.
    • At the time, John A. Macdonald argued that roads should be a provincial responsibility with no federal involvement or guidance.

Improving road safety

    • Improving road safety and standards should include developing national standards, guidance and dedicated funding sources (for example, gas tax) to support the construction and operation of road networks.
    • In 2018, Canada ranked 12th compared to other member countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in terms of road safety.

Response to major road crashes

    • This allows the TSB to investigate all matters related to these modes and to press all levels of government for change.
    • The TSB has no role in investigating road crashes or bridge failures no matter how catastrophic.
    • Best practices dictate that serious road crashes across the country be investigated by an independent body.
    • For these reasons, we must demand that serious road crashes be subject to the same type of independent and transparent safety investigations that are routinely conducted in other modes.

Stalled progress

    • The committee’s report contained nine important recommendations to improve bus passenger safety.
    • Four years later, there has been little progress on the recommendations.
    • The House of Commons needs to follow up on the recommendations and demand that regulatory changes be introduced to make bus travel safer.

On the 10th anniversary of the Lac-Mégantic rail disaster, what's changed?

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
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It killed 47 people, orphaned 26 children, spilled a record six million litres of oil and incinerated the town centre.

Key Points: 
  • It killed 47 people, orphaned 26 children, spilled a record six million litres of oil and incinerated the town centre.
  • Euphemistically called co-regulation or partnership, it was, in effect, self-regulation.
  • Read more:
    Why major Canadian railways must no longer be permitted to police themselves

Oil by rail

    • In the years leading up to the disaster, the volume of oil transported by rail in Canada soared from 500 tank cars in 2009 to 160,000 in 2013.
    • In 2009, there was the equivalent of 14 tank carloads of crude oil per inspector working under the federal government’s Transportation of Dangerous Goods Program.
    • The first to move cargo under the single-operator rule, MMA’s DOT-111 tank cars were originally designed for carrying corn oil.

Who’s been held accountable?

    • No senior official, politician, corporate executive, director or owner has been held to account for their role and responsibility for the tragedy.
    • Successive governments have refused demands by the community to establish an independent commission of inquiry.
    • After repeated delays, Québec Superior Court ruled in December 2022 that CP could not be held liable for damages suffered by the Lac-Mégantic victims — another setback in the fight for justice.

Disaster aftershocks

    • The Lac-Mégantic community has been plagued by a legacy of economic, health and environmental aftershocks following the disaster.
    • Those whose lands will be appropriated are seen as the latest victims of the disaster.
    • In the meantime, another Lac-Mégantic-type disaster is still possible.

Ongoing safety issues

    • Transport Canada’s safety management systems have continuously been on the Transportation Safety Board’s (TSB) watchlist created to highlight “those issues posing the greatest risk to Canada’s transportation system.” In its most recent 2022 watchlist, the board noted that safety management systems are “still not effectively identifying hazards and mitigating risks in rail transportation.” What’s more, the federal government is failing to lift the veil on corporate activities protected by commercial confidentiality.
    • When compared to legislation internationally, Canada’s access-to-information laws and whistleblower protections rank poorly.
    • Fatigue remains on the TSB watchlist as posing a safety risk to operations.

‘Window still open’

    • If we are to minimize the risk of future disasters, stronger regulations must be put in place.
    • While odds of transcending the power status quo are formidable, to paraphrase Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci, giving up the fight is not an option.

TSB deploys a team of investigators following an aircraft accident in Surrey, British Columbia

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, June 3, 2023
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RICHMOND, BC, June 2, 2023 /CNW/ - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to Surrey British Columbia, to investigate an aircraft accident involving a privately registered Zenair CH701 which occurred today.

Key Points: 
  • RICHMOND, BC, June 2, 2023 /CNW/ - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to Surrey British Columbia, to investigate an aircraft accident involving a privately registered Zenair CH701 which occurred today.
  • The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.
  • The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences.
  • It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.

TSB deploys a team to Calgary, Alberta, following an engine fire on a WestJet Encore aircraft

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 1, 2023
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EDMONTON, AB, May 31, 2023 /CNW/ - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to Calgary, following an engine failure and fire on a WestJet Encore aircraft.

Key Points: 
  • EDMONTON, AB, May 31, 2023 /CNW/ - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to Calgary, following an engine failure and fire on a WestJet Encore aircraft.
  • There were no injuries to the two flight crew and two flight attendants aboard the aircraft.
  • The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences.
  • It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.

Statement by the Minister of Transport about the Transportation Safety Board of Canada's investigation report on the fishing vessel Chief William Saulis

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
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OTTAWA, ON, March 22, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, issued this statement about the Transportation Safety Board of Canada's investigation report on the fishing vessel Chief William Saulis.

Key Points: 
  • OTTAWA, ON, March 22, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, issued this statement about the Transportation Safety Board of Canada's investigation report on the fishing vessel Chief William Saulis.
  • "I want to thank the Transportation Safety Board of Canada for their work in conducting the investigation and publishing their report.
  • "Transport Canada will thoroughly review the investigation report and its recommendation, and I will provide a formal response to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada within 90 days.
  • In 2017, new Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations came into force and phase II of these regulations should be implemented in 2023.

TSB deploys to Kelowna, British Columbia, to investigate a WestJet Encore aircraft inflight engine fire

Retrieved on: 
Friday, March 3, 2023
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EDMONTON, AB, March 3, 2023 /CNW/ - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying an investigator to Kelowna, British Columbia, to investigate an inflight engine fire that resulted in the diversion of a WestJet Encore De Havilland DHC-8-402 aircraft on 02 March 2023.

Key Points: 
  • EDMONTON, AB, March 3, 2023 /CNW/ - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying an investigator to Kelowna, British Columbia, to investigate an inflight engine fire that resulted in the diversion of a WestJet Encore De Havilland DHC-8-402 aircraft on 02 March 2023.
  • The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.
  • The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences.
  • It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.

TSB deploys a team to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, following the sinking of the passenger vessel Island Bay

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
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RICHMOND, BC, Sept. 27, 2022 /CNW/ - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) deployed a team of investigators to Prince Rupert, BC, following the sinking of the passenger vessel Island Bay.

Key Points: 
  • RICHMOND, BC, Sept. 27, 2022 /CNW/ - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) deployed a team of investigators to Prince Rupert, BC, following the sinking of the passenger vessel Island Bay.
  • The TSB is gathering information and assessing the occurrence.
  • The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences.
  • It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.

Minister of Transport announces new measures to improve rail safety in response to TSB recommendations on the 2019 derailment in Field, British Columbia

Retrieved on: 
Monday, July 25, 2022
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Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced that the Government of Canada is taking new actions to improve rail safety, in alignment with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada's recommendations regarding the derailment in Field, British Columbia, in 2019.

Key Points: 
  • Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced that the Government of Canada is taking new actions to improve rail safety, in alignment with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada's recommendations regarding the derailment in Field, British Columbia, in 2019.
  • Transport Canada will also conduct testing of automatic braking technology under real world operating conditions to verify safety and performance.
  • "Our thoughts continue to be with the families of the victims of the 2019 Field, British Columbia, derailment.
  • On March 31, 2022, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada concluded its investigation of the 2019 derailment near Field, British Columbia, and issued its final report.

TSB deploying a team of investigators following a fire aboard the ferry Holiday Island near Wood Islands, PEI

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, July 23, 2022
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DARTMOUTH, NS, 22 July 2022 /CNW/ - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators following today's fire aboard the ferry Holiday Island near Wood Islands, PEI.

Key Points: 
  • DARTMOUTH, NS, 22 July 2022 /CNW/ - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators following today's fire aboard the ferry Holiday Island near Wood Islands, PEI.
  • The TSB is gathering information and assessing the occurrence.
  • The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences.
  • It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.

Safety management and regulatory surveillance deficiencies identified in March 2019 berthing incident in Matane, Quebec

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
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QUBEC, July 6, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its investigation report (M19C0054) on a March 2019 berthing incident involving the roll-on/roll-off ferry Apollo in Matane, Quebec.

Key Points: 
  • QUBEC, July 6, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its investigation report (M19C0054) on a March 2019 berthing incident involving the roll-on/roll-off ferry Apollo in Matane, Quebec.
  • On 16 March 2019, the Apollo was making a routine crossing from Godbout, Quebec, to Matane, Quebec, with 94 people on board when it struck the dock during berthing.
  • During the berthing, the master had been attempting to manoeuvre the vessel from the starboard bridge wing console using the engine, rudder, and bow thruster.
  • Safety management and regulatory surveillance are TSB Watchlist 2020 issues.