IN THE HOUSE ~ JULIAN’S BILL WOULD BRING RELIEF TO LATE NIGHT RAIL NOISE

You can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/otzDBqdJhkU

OTTAWA – Peter Julian, MP (New Westminster-Burnaby), reintroduced a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament today, Bill C-218, The Railway Noise and Vibration Control Act.

Bill C-218 would prohibit railway companies from engaging in excessively noisy rail yard activities in residential areas between the hours of 10pm and 8am.

“After passing the House of Commons in 2007, the Senate gutted the provisions of Bill C-11 brought forth by the Standing Committee on Transportation which would have decisively dealt with railway noise,� said Julian. “Residents of Westminster Quay and many other communities have been putting up with this noise for too long. Railway companies have been continuously carrying on high noise activities at night and early in the morning, damaging the quality of life of residents.�

High noise activities in rail yards include the idling, sorting, coupling, and shunting of rolling stock, which creates an incredible amount of noise. Train traffic in the urban areas has increased substantially in the past 30 years, and the trains themselves are longer, resulting in more frequent and much longer periods of noise in rail yards. The size and weight of rail cars has also increased, causing greater vibrations in nearby homes.

Julian points out that the previous Conservative government utterly failed to take responsibility for this problem. He has been working extensively with the community and this bill is the result of the many calls for a real change to this situation. “I hope that the new Liberal government will be as willing to address this issue as when it was acting as Official Opposition in 2007. Every resident of Westminster Quay knows why a conciliatory approach will never work and only tough legislation can resolve this health hazard.�

“Quayside residents and every Canadian are entitled to a good night’s sleep, and I urge the Liberal government to act quickly on this matter.�

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For more information, please contact:

Office of Peter Julian: 604-775-5707

IN THE HOUSE ~ Introduction of Private Members' Bills

Projet de loi C-218. Présentation et première lecture

M. Peter Julian (New Westminster—Burnaby, NPD) demande à présenter le projet de loi C-218, Loi modifiant la Loi sur les transports au Canada (limitation du bruit et des vibrations ferroviaires).

— Monsieur le Président, je remercie mon collègue, le député de Beloeil—Chambly, un député extrêmement travaillant.

Residents of the Westminster Quay area of New Westminster, South Burnaby, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Montreal are often woken up, when they live next to an urban railway yard, by shunting, which is the crushing of the railway cars against each other; excessive idling; loud diesel engines, sometimes at two or three o'clock in the morning; and other types of excessive noise.

Bill C-218 would eliminate the ability of railway companies to act with impunity. It would force them to work in conjunction with the urban residents who live next to the railway yard.

We have had support from right across the country around this bill. Residents from right across the country want to see the railway companies put in a framework that actually allows them to get a good night sleep.

I hope that all members of the House will support this bill, because every Canadian deserves a good night sleep.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

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