More Canadians Killed in Rail Accidents Than Air Accidents Last Year: Report

Canadian Pacific Railway trains sit at the main CP Rail train yard in Toronto on March 21, 2022. The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette

More Canadians died in rail accidents than in air accidents last year, according to a Transportation Safety Board (TSB) report.

In 2023, there were 33 air transportation fatalities, the Annual Report to Parliament 2023–24 said, compared with 67 rail accident fatalities, as first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter.

The report notes that 20 of the 33 air-related accidents involved private aircraft and private pilots.

Regarding rail-related deaths, TSB says trespassing was a major culprit for the high number.

“Among these fatalities, 53 involved trespassers, compared to 51 in 2022 and the 10-year average of 41,” the report authors wrote.

They also noted that while the number of rail-related fatalities was higher than the 65 reported in 2023, it was below the 10-year average of 68 deaths.

Transport Canada (TC) says it has taken action to tackle the trespassing problem. In 2021, new regulations came into force that increased the amount trespassers would pay for offences under the Railway Safety Act.

Fines for trespassing on property where railway lines are located increased from $100 to $500. Additionally, fines for not giving way at railway crossings increased from $150 to $750, the government said in a 2021 news release.

The changes were said to be a direct result of growing numbers of trespassers on railway property. The government said that was “sufficient evidence” that the original fine amounts were “not significant enough to deter these dangerous actions.”

“This is a major cause for concern, given the safety risks,” the release said.

“Large moving trains confronted with unexpected obstacles on a rail line cannot stop instantly and this presents an extreme hazard to the life of those inside and outside a moving train.”

TC said it also invested $2 million over three years into public safety awareness program Operation Lifesaver. The program focuses on reducing accidents and railway trespassing by focusing on public education and outreach.

In total, there were 3,350 accidents and incidents reported to the TSB in 2023, including rail, air, and marine occurrences. It was 6 percent lower than reported cases in 2022 (3,556), the report said.

For 2023, 1,331 of the total occurrences were accidents, which represents a 6 percent reduction from the previous year, it said.

However, the report notes that while total occurrences were lower in 2023, there was an 11 percent increase in fatalities across all transportation sectors. The 118 fatalities reported to the TSB is a 4 percent decrease in the 10-year average number of fatalities, which the report says is 123.

TSB says there were 182 air-related accidents reported in 2023. Of those, 19 were fatal, with a total of 33 deaths. That is one less death than in 2022, which saw 34 fatalities in 24 accidents.

The report’s authors said that the 10-year average of air accident fatalities is 25 accidents involving 40 deaths.