Transports Canada TranSport Canada Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Of?ce Transport Canada Place de Ville, Tower C, XMSP 330 Sparks Street Ottawa ON K1A 0N5 Our File A-2015-00344 KEA Mr. Dave Seglins CBC News, Toronto PO. Box 500, Station A Toronto, ON MSW 1E6 OCT 16 2015 Dear Mr. Seglins: This is in response to your request under the Access to Information Act (ATIA), received by Transport Canada on July 14, 2015, for the following information: ?Copy of all Transport Canada notices, orders and/or letters of concern with regard to safety sent to VIA Rail between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014.? We have now completed the processing of your request. Please find enclosed a copy of the records. You will note that certain information has been withheld from disclosure pursuant to section 21(1)(b) of the ATIA. A copy of this section has been enclosed for your information. Please be advised that you are entitled to submit a complaint regarding the processing of this request to the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, 30 Victoria Street, Gatineau, Quebec 1H3. The ATIA allows a complaint to be made within 60 days of the receipt of this notice. Should you have any questions, you may contact Kevin Adamsons at 613-993?5145 or via e?mail at kevin.adamsons@tc.gc.ca. Yours sincerely, .41/7? I?ll/I" i Blair Isaac Chief, Access to Information and Privacy Enclosure: Pages 1 to 33, and relevant section of the ATIA Canad'a' Access to Information Act 21(l)(b) CONSULTATIONS OR DELIBERATIONS an account of consultations or deliberations involving officers or employees of a government institution, a minister of the Crown or the staff of a minister of the Crown, Record released pursuant to the Access to Information Act 5.21 (1 Document divulgu? en vertu de la sur I'acces a l?information Transport Transport - Wii Canada Canada Prairie Northern Region Surface Branch 4?h Floor - 344 Edmonton Street Your?le Votre re'f?rence PO. Box 8550 Winnipeg, Manitoba Our?le Notre reference R3C 0P6 May 14, 2014 LETTER OF SAFETY CONCERN Mr. Mitch McAmmond Senior Manager Train Operations Western Region VIA Rail Canada 725 Sequoia Place Kamloops, BC. V2C 5W3 Dear Sir, I am a Railway Safety Inspector designated by the Minister of Transport under Section 27.(l) of the Railway Safety Act (RSA). During previous operations inspections on VIA Rail passenger trains in the Winnipeg area, including an operations inspection conducted May '13, 2014 on VIA train 693 at Winnipeg, I have noticed an unusually high volume of radio communication in the operating cab of VIA passenger train locomotives. A portion of this radio communication emanates from the radio frequency used to communicate with the on-board Service Manager on the train. I believe this channel is commonly referred to as the SM channel. The SM channel is an additional radio system to the end-to-end standby channel required for train operations on freight and passenger trains. From conversations I have had with various VIA employees, I understand the SM radio frequency is required to maintain communication between the on-board train staff, Service Manager, and the Locomotive Engineers. Communication between the Service Manager and the Locomotive Engineers is necessary to advise the approach of upcoming station stops, the need for emergency intervention when required, as well as other requirements. The SM channel is also used by on-board train staff to communicate issues related to their occupational requirements which are often, not applicable to radio communications necessary for train operations. My concerns arePlease advise this of?ce, in writing, by May 30, 2014, what preventative measures will be put in place to mitigate the concerns identified. 000001 Record released pursuant to the Access to Information Act/ Document divulgue en vertu de la loi sur I?acces a l'information Should you require additional information on this matter, please do not hesitate to Contact the undersigned at (204) 984-7813 or by e?mail at larry.rea@tc.gc.ca Sincerely, L.H. (Larry) Rea Railway Safety Inspector, PNR Transport Canada Co: Lance Smith, Manager Operations Equipment, Transport Canada 000002 Record released pursuant to the Access to Information Act 5'21 (1 Document divulgue en vertu de la loI sur lacces a llnformatlon Transport Transports Canada Canada Ontario Region Ontario Regional Of?ce our ?le RSIG 498490 Joseph Shepard Building 4900 Yonge Street Floor: 3 North York, ON MZNGAS By Registered Mail NOTICE November 3, 2014 Marc Tessier . Director, Corporate Security and Regulatory Affairs VIA Rail Canada Inc? 3 Place Ville Marie 5th Floor Montreal, QC H38 2C9 Dear Mr. Tessier, I am 51 Railway Safety Inspector designated by the Minister of Transport under subsection 27(1) of the Rains-'ch Sqf?ty Act On October 30. 2014, I. conducted a review of TSB reportable incidents on the Kingston 000003 Record released pursuant to the Access to Information Act 8.21 (1 Document divulgu? en Vei?tu de la loi sur I'acces a I'information As a result of these ?ndings, this Notice is being issued under 31 (3) of the RSA to inform you that, in my opinion. a threat to safe railway Operations exists. Pursuant to subsection 4(r4.1) of the RSA, ?a threat is a hazard(s) or condition(s) that could reasonably be expected to deveIOp into a situation in which a person coaid be injured or made to be ill or damage could be caused to the environment or property.? Hazardt?s) or Condition(.444 . .V .., .. .-, .. .. V., 2.. Please advise this of?ce in writing no later than November 17, 2014 how you intend to resolve this hazard or condition in order to mitigate the threat identified. Should you require additional information on this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at (416) 973-5517 or by e-maii at Sincerely{In-Cw - (l (ml t?it. I cw Julie Conway-?eaulieu *7 R31 - Operations (Badge it): 30030) Rail Safety cc: Bryne Bowness, General Supt. Regional Operations, CN Rail 20i'2 000004 Record released pursuant to the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la sur I'acces a I'information Transport Transports Canada Canada Ontario Region Ontario Regional Office our ?le RSIGH 226128 Joseph Shepard Building 4900 Yonge Street Floor: 3 North York, ON 10828193 MZN 6A5 By Registered Mail NOTICE June 25, 2014 Marc Tessier Director, Corporate Security and Regulatory Affairs VIA Rail Canada Inc. 3 Place Ville Marie 5th Floor Montreal, QC H3B 2C9 Steve Del Bosco Interim President and Chief Executive Office VIA Rail Canada Inc. 3 Place Ville Marie Montreal, ON H3B2C9 Dear Steve Del Bosco, I am a Railway Safety Inspector designated by the Minister of Transport under Subsection 27.(1) of the Railway Scy?ety Act (RSA). As a result of these findings, this Notice is being issued under Section 31 (2) of the RSA to inform you that, in my opinion, a threat to safe railway operations exists. Pursuant to subsection 4(4.1) of the RSA, ?a threat is a hazard(s) or condition(s) that could reasonably be I*l Canada 10m. 000005 Record released pursuant to the Access to Information Act Document dwulgu? en vertu de la sur l'acc?s a I'mformatlon hich a person could be i jured or made to be ill or damage could be caused to the environment or property.? 1011 inw 1nto a Sltuat expected to develop Hazard or Condition 3 resolve tend to in 2014 how you i1 24, in writing no later than Apr 1n or te the threat is office ise th Please adv ified. dent i iga it der to ions it these hazards or cond 20f3 000006 Record released pursuant to the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la sur I'acces a l?information Should you require additional information on this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at (416) 973?5902 or by e?mail at Jeffrey.y0ung@tc.gc.ca. Sincerely, Jeffrey Young Railway Signal Systems Inspector (Badge ID: 30010) Rail Safety 3 of 3 000007 Record released pursuant to the Access to Information Act I Document divulgu? en vertu de la loi sur I'accee a I'information Transport Transports Canada Canada Ontario Regir?mal Of?ce Ontario Region ?le: RSIG - 221911 Our 4900 Yonge Street Floor: 3 North York, ON Joseph Shepard Building M2N6A5. By Registered Mail NOTICE a _r . ., - we ..41, .r . an mar ..ii$iar -- .: u? 45? m