OTTAWA, ON, July 11, 2021 /CNW/ – The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Indigenous Services and the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, today released the following statement in regards to the wildfires in British Columbia.
“Over the past few days, representatives from the Government of Canada and British Columbia have regularly met with a number of First Nation leaders. Discussions have focussed on the emergency response, and how we can work together to improve the response and preparedness process.
We heard clear concerns regarding safe rail operations and are taking immediate actions to address them. On Friday, July 9, 2021, Transport Canada issued a Ministerial Order to cease movement of trains between Kamloops and Boston Bar, British Columbia for 48 hours. This was done in the interest of safe railway operations and to protect residents who temporarily returned to inspect their homes. This action also allowed space for important and timely discussions with First Nation leaders. Transport Canada is committed to building on these recent discussions with Indigenous leadership and local communities to develop a sustained structured process for engagement and consultations on issues related to rail safety and the impacts of rail operations on communities.