Communicate about dangerous goods

Ottawa will force rail companies to tell municipalities when they’re transporting dangerous goods through their communities.

But the order won’t help stop disasters like the deadly derailment in Lac-Megantic, because the information doesn’t have to be provided in advance.  However, Transport Minister Lisa Raitt says she hopes rail companies update municipalities every 3 months about what they’re transporting to encourage communication.   A train carrying vast quantities of crude oil careened off the tracks last July, killing 47 people and destroying much of Lac-Megantic’s downtown core.  Prime Minister Stephen Harper was there Thursday, committing up to $95 million to help decontaminate the town’s water and soil.