Oil spills and railway accidents
Sponsored by Ship and Rail Compensation Canada
As a municipal leader, understanding the risks in your community is the first step toward protecting it. Oil spills from ships or boats and major railway accidents involving crude oil happen without warning. They can have devastating effects on people, property, the environment, and the economy.
From Damages to Dollars
While prevention is crucial, what happens when disaster strikes? Emergency response, clean-up, and remediation are costly. But cost recovery measures are often missing from preparedness plans.
Many communities remain unaware of compensation funds specifically designed to ease the financial burden of these incidents.
Ship and Rail Compensation Canada’s goal is to prevent taxpayers and local governments from bearing the financial burden of damages, losses, and response efforts. And another important part: you can avoid a lengthy legal battle with the polluter.
What Is Covered
Understanding how to recover financially after a disaster is key to building economic resilience. Two funds are available to municipalities: the Ship Fund and the Rail Fund.
The Ship Fund compensates anyone affected by oil spills from ships and boats in Canadian waters. Over the past 36 years, $29 million in compensation has been provided to Canadians, including $1 million to municipalities. This is a very small portion of its claimants. It is time to change that by spreading the word about available compensation.
The Rail Fund compensates anyone affected by major railway accidents involving crude oil. Compensation will first be provided from the railway company involved, then from the Rail Fund. No accident has yet activated this fund. But it is currently monitoring five accidents and has signed six agreements to help streamline the compensation process.
Be Prepared: Compensation Checklist
Ship and Rail Compensation Canada is calling on local administrators and first responders – including firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and public safety personnel – to integrate cost recovery and claims preparedness into their emergency response plans.
Be ready to recover costs and protect your community when it matters most. Visit the team at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference in Ottawa, May 29-June 1, or download the complimentary compensation checklist at https://ship-rail.gc.ca. MW
✯ Municipal World Executive and Essentials Plus Members: You might also be interested in Kristi Honey and Sierra Miller’s article: Innovation, community, commitment.
Steve D. Anderson is the deputy administrator, Ship and Rail Compensation Canada – Rail Fund.
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