Partnering for safer communities
Sponsored by Operation Lifesaver Canada
Every year, more than 100 Canadians face life-altering injuries or fatalities due to railway incidents. These incidents impact individuals, their loved ones, first responders, railroaders, and communities. And each incident is preventable, making even one too many.
Numbers Don’t Lie: Urgent Action Needed
Railway incidents represent real people and losses. In 2024, Canada recorded 901 rail accidents, including 167 crossing incidents and 94 trespassing incidents, resulting in 70 fatalities and 67 serious injuries.
These figures highlight the need for collaboration with municipalities and community leaders to achieve zero incidents.
Local governments can identify regional risk factors and implement tailored solutions, such as:
- improving signage and infrastructure
- running targeted public awareness campaigns
Indigenous communities are particularly affected by railway incidents. Everyone will benefit from culturally sensitive safety initiatives co-developed with Indigenous leaders.
Education the Cornerstone of Prevention
Partnerships with the Proximity Initiative inform land use planning and development near rail corridors, reducing risks and resolving potential conflicts proactively.
The Operation Lifesaver Canada “Look. Listen. Live.” program empowers Canadians to make safe choices around railways. This award-winning campaign uses videos, social media, and other tools to remind people of three simple actions: look, listen, and live.
Education and outreach activities are tailored to each participant to resonate locally. Grassroots efforts are amplified through partnerships with schools, workplaces, and community organizations, ensuring rail-safe messages reach and resonate with audiences.
Take Charge of Safety in Your Community
Achieving zero rail-related incidents, deaths, and injuries requires collective action. Local leaders can join this life-saving mission to:
- identify and address high-risk areas
- educate residents about rail safety
- implement preventative measures
Working together, we can create a future free of devastating railway incidents. Every life matters, and every tragedy is one too many.
Let’s build safer communities, one crossing, one conversation, one action, and one life at a time. Let’s get to zero, together.
To learn more about how your municipality can get involved, visit http://www.operationlifesaver.ca. MW
✯ Municipal World Executive and Essentials Plus Members: You might also be interested in David Bradley’s article: Railway crossing safety: will municipalities be on the hook.
Chris Day is the national director of Operation Lifesaver Canada, a not-for-profit network of volunteers across Canada dedicated to saving lives through rail safety and education and awareness
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