Unanimously, Airdrie City council belatedly proclaimed Sept. 23 to 29 as Rail Safety Week in Airdrie at a regular meeting Oct. 7, in support of the 17th annual country-wide initiative to promote rail safety within communities across Canada.
“Incidents can happen in a split-second and have tragic and far-reaching consequences for your family, friends and community,” said Canadian Pacific (CP) Police Service Chief Al Sauve in CP’s request for council’s endorsement. “Rail safety requires 24/7 vigilance, and CP asks that everyone think about their safety around railway property.”
According to the letter, CP boasts the lowest reportable train accident rate among all Class 1 railways for 13 years straight, making it the safest railway in North America. Still, the letter said, community awareness goes “a long way towards making Canada’s rail network even safer.”
