The Railway Rules & Standards provide a vital framework for ensuring safety, efficiency, and sustainability in Canada’s railway system. These guidelines are designed to support industry stakeholders in maintaining high operational standards and fostering best practices across all railway operations.
This handbook was designed to provide Canadian railway companies and medical service providers with the information necessary to implement the Railway Medical Rules for Positions Critical to Safe Railway Operations.
Approved: 2001-11-29
Published: 2025-05-27
These rules prescribe operating requirements for employees involved in the movement of trains in Canada.
In effect: January 28, 2025
Approved: 2025-01-24
Published:2025-01-24
These Rules define the requirements related to the hours of work and rest periods for employees who are in positions designated critical to safe railway operations and are defined as employees in this rule.
In effect:
• Part A – May 25, 2023 for freight railway companies and on November 25, 2024 for passenger railway companies.
• Part B (with the exception of section 5) – May 25, 2023 for freight railway companies and on November 25, 2024 for passenger railway companies.
• Section 5 of Part B – November 25, 2022.
• Part C – May 25, 2023 for freight railway companies and on November 25, 2024 for passenger railway companies.
• Part D – November 25, 2021.
Important Note: The Work Rest Rules remains in effect in parts until all parts of the Duty and Rest Period Rules are in effect.
Approved: 2020-11-25
Published:2020-11-25
Railway Extreme Heat and Fire Risk Mitigation Rules
In effect: June 15, 2022
Approved: 2022-06-15
Published: 2022-06-16
These Rules apply to any company subject to the Railway Safety Act.
All railway equipment subject to these Rules must be equipped with retroreflective sheeting conforming to these Rules.
These Rules prescribe the minimum standards governing the specifications; the application; the inspection and maintenance of retroreflective material on railway equipment.
In effect: December 17, 2019
Approved: 2019-12-03
Published:2020-01-06
These rules prescribe the standards for installation, inspection, testing and reporting of air reservoirs used by railway companies subject to the jurisdiction of Transport Canada. These rules apply to stationary and portable reservoirs except those on locomotives.
Approved: 1994-12-05
Published: 1994-12-05
These rules prescribe the minimum safety standards for the safe operation of train brakes on all freight and passenger trains.
In effect: May 1, 2023
Important Note: the September 29, 2023 version of these rules comes into effect on December 1, 2025
Approved: 2023-01-30
Published:2023-05-01
These Rules prescribe the minimum safety standards for freight cars.
In effect: December 9, 2014
Approved: 2014-12-09
Published:2014-12-09
These rules prescribe the minimum safety standards for locomotives operated by railway companies subject to the jurisdiction of Transport Canada pursuant to the Railway Safety Act.
Approved: 2022-05-09
Published:2022-05-09
These rules define the Medical Fitness for Duty requirements for Safety Critical Positions within railway companies.
In effect: December 22, 2006
Approved: 2006-12-22
Published:2019-09-19
These rules prescribe the minimum safety standards for passenger cars in trains at speeds not exceeding 125 mph (200 km/h).
In effect: November 8, 2001
Approved: 2001-11-08
Published: 2001-11-08
These rules prescribe the minimum requirements for the safe handling of passengers.
In effect: June 29, 2000
Approved: 2000-03-31
Published: 2000-03-31
These standards are intended to ensure that railway signal and traffic control systems are installed, modified and maintained in a safe manner. These standards apply to railway companies subject to the jurisdiction of the Minister of Transport pursuant to the Railway Safety Act (RSA).
Approved: 2007-06-04
Published: 2007-06-04
These rules prescribe minimum safety standards to strengthen track inspection practices and to reduce speeds for trains carrying certain types of dangerous goods.
In effect: August 22, 2021
Approved: 2021-02-22
Published: 2021-02-22
These standards may be known as the “Pipeline Crossing Standards”.
These standards are intended to ensure that pipeline crossings under Railways are installed, renewed and maintained in a safe manner. These standards apply to Railway Companies subject to the jurisdiction of the Minister of Transport pursuant to the Railway Safety Act.
Approved: 2000-06-21
Published: 2000-06-21
This Standard shall apply on all tracks owned or operated on by a railway company.
These rules define “Safety Critical Position” and prescribe requirements for records.
In-Effect: September 14, 2000
The purpose of this standard is to provide the minimum performance requirements for 200 mm and 300 mm Light Emitting Diode (LED) signal modules for use in highway/railway grade crossing signal assemblies in Canada.
Approved: 2003-10-10
Published: 2003-10-10