Making railways safer while reducing impacts of climate change

Port-Daniel-Gascons – The Government of Canada is committed to keeping Canadians safe and building a green economy while creating good middle-class jobs. This is why we are improving rail safety, particularly in the face of climate change. Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, and the Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Diane Lebouthillier, announced a multi-year investment of more than $10 million for a rail infrastructure project in Port-Daniel-Gascons, Québec.

The project will involve:

• installing a large retaining wall to protect the cliffs along the coastline against further erosion and possibly collapsing;
  • With an expected lifespan of 75 years, the wall will be designed to withstand the forces of waves and tides expected in the future, based on climate change predictions up to the year 2050.
• repairing the train tracks;
• installing a water drainage system beneath the tracks (on the side of the retaining wall);
• building a ditch between the adjacent road and the tracks.

The nearby roads and a portion of the Gaspésie Railway are vulnerable to waves, storms, and flooding during severe weather events. With climate change, water levels will rise and ice cover in winter will decrease, making the impact on coastal areas and infrastructure even more significant. This project will therefore increase rail safety in the area.

Including this project, a total of 39 projects across Canada have been approved under the new Climate Change and Adaptation to Extreme Weather Infrastructure component of the Rail Safety Improvement Program (RSIP), for a total investment of over $29 million over the next three years.