Transport Canada (TC)

Transport Canada (TC) is the Canadian federal department responsible for transportation policy, programs, and safety regulation across Canada, including the railroad industry. In the rail context, Transport Canada develops and enforces the rules governing railway safety, equipment, and the transport of dangerous goods by rail within Canada.

Transport Canada administers the federal Railway Safety Act and related regulations, overseeing matters such as railway operating rules, track and equipment standards, grade crossings, and safety management systems for federally regulated railways. It also regulates the transport of dangerous goods, setting requirements that apply to tank cars and other equipment moving hazardous commodities by rail in Canada.

Because freight equipment routinely crosses the border, Canadian railways participate in the same North American interchange system and follow the equipment standards of the Association of American Railroads (AAR), while remaining subject to Transport Canada's safety regulation when operating in Canada.

Transport Canada's counterparts in the United States are the U.S. Department of Transportation and its Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), which carry out the equivalent safety-regulatory role for U.S. railroads.

Website: https://tc.canada.ca/