Fact check: City can release info on dangerous goods passing through Regina by train

City officials have permission to release details about what dangerous goods are transported through Regina's communities by rail, despite previous statements from city hall saying it does not have permission.

Major rail companiessuch as Canadian Pacific Rail and Canadian National Railwaymust provide a jurisdiction with reports summarizing the data of what dangerous materials are shipped through its areas.

Rail companies are mandated to do this under Transport Canada's protective direction No. 36, which instructs rail operators to disclose information about the hazardous materials theycarry.

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Public Safety

CouncillorAndrew Stevens, whose ward is falls adjacent to a main rail line, sayslocal residents have a right to know what dangerous goods are transported close to their homes from a public safety perspective.

"When we have mega-events like Rider games and you have tens of thousands of people who are right there on the edge of a train, I think not only should they know, but I think if it's possible we should prevent those types of dangerous goods from actually being transported through the city at those particular times," he said on Thursday.

'The Lac-Megantic disaster highlighted what can happenit's the worst case scenario,'- Ward 3 Coun. Andrew Stevens

Stevens said he would want all ofcity council, fire and emergency officials, as well as Public Safety Minister and local MP Ralph Goodale, to discuss the implications of public reporting before any next steps are taken.

"The Lac-Megantic disaster highlighted what can happen it's the worst case scenario," he said.

"I think that should force any councillor and any resident here to start thinking about it."

Reported occurances of runaway rail cars in Saskatchewan:

• 2016:7
• 2015: 4
• 2014:5
• 2013:7
• 2012:8

(Data provided by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada)

Federal rules OK public reporting

FredSearle, the City of Regina's manager of current planning, recently confirmed the city receives regular reports from rail companies about the specific types and volume of dangerous goods that are transported on rail cars throughthe city.

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He said that data was confidential and could not be released at CBC News' request.

Natasha Gauthier, a media relations officer with Transport Canada, says municipalities andFirst Nations registered with the regulator's 24-hour emergency planning centredo receive confidentaldata onrail companies' shipments.

She said this information isfor emergency-planning purposes and employees who receive the reports must sign non-disclosure agreements.

But she added that rail operators arealso required to provide a secondary summary reportthat can be releasedpublicly if civic officials choose to.

The report would contain a top-10list of dangerous goods shipped through a jurisdiction by volume in the previous year, similar to the ones published on CNand CP Rail's websites that provide breakdowns by province.

On Thursday, CBC News presented its findings to DesiraeBernreuther, a media relations officer at the city,but the city did not respond as of late Thursday night.

Merits of disclosure

A rail transportation expert and engineer professor at the University of British Columbia questions the benefits of having rail companies or cities publicity disclose freight shipments.

"The railways are businesses first of all," said GordonLovegrove. "The number one goal of business is to stay in business and when you start reporting what you're carrying and that goes public you're actually putting your business at risk because your competitors know."

He also questions whetherthe public would even pay attention.

"If people wanted to know, really,honestly, couldn't they go to their politicians, couldn't we create another avenue for that? If people really want to find out and they have a legitimate [argument] 'because I am a neighbour, I pay taxes, here's my address,' why not that route?"