Railways

All BC railways must comply with the safety regulations for their railway class. It’s also important to understand how the regulation process below applies to you.

Railway Safety Orders, Directives, and Information Bulletins

Safety Orders are an instrument that is issued to prevent or reduce the risk of personal injury or damage to property. Compliance is mandatory and enforceable by the Safety Authority.

Directives are instruments that clarify or provide new interpretation of a regulation or code. Compliance is mandatory. 

Information bulletins provide helpful information and clarification on exisiting regulations or code that affect your particular technology.

Railway classes and their regulations

Common Carrier Safety Regulations Guidelines: Common Carrier Railways transport passengers and/or goods and interchanges common rolling stock with other railways.

Industrial Railway Safety Regulations Guidelines: Industrial Railways exclusively serve and move railway equipment through track switches at an industrial site or as designated by the authority having administrative responsibility.

Commuter Railway Safety Regulations Guidelines: Commuter Railways exclusively provide rail transportation for passengers in or between urban and/or suburban locations.

Heritage Railway Safety Regulation Guidelines: Heritage Railways operate or move only railway equipment of historical significance.

Regulating railways – the process

1. Minister’s Certificate
   Railways operating in BC must apply for a Minister’s Certificate from the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.  Railways operating under the Canada Marine Act or Mines Act (BC) are exempt.
   To find out how to apply, read:
   
   • Subsection 3(2) of the Railway Act (BC)
   • Minister’s Certificate
2. Safety Management System
   Any railway applying for an Operating Permit must first submit a Safety Management System Regulation (SMS) document to the Registrar of Railway Safety for approval.
   To understand what to submit, read:
   
   • Paragraph 21(2)(c) of the Railway Safety Act (BC),
   • Safety Management System Regulation
3. Operating Permit
   If your railway has obtained a Minister’s Certificate and received approval of your SMS, you must then apply for an operating permit from the Registrar of Railway Safety of the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
   To find out how to apply, read:
   
   • Subsection 10(1) of the Railway Safety Act (BC),
   • Operating Permit
   • Railway Fees
4. Railway Accident and Incident Reporting
   Railways with a Minister’s Certificate are required to report accidents and incidents to the BCSA.
   To understand what, and how to report, read:
   
   • Subsection 1(a) of the Administration Delegation Regulation (BC),
   • Accident - Incident Reporting Regulations

Additional Information

The BCSA Railway Program is the regulator for provincial railways. All provincial railways must comply with the safety criteria specified in the provincial, and in the provincially-adopted, federal legislative requirements. These requirements call for railway companies to operate and maintain their railway systems within an approved set of safety standards. Railway Safety Inspectors carry out a safety compliance program of operating and maintenance audits of each provincially-regulated railway system. The information provided above allows provincial railways to meet their legal obligations.