Federal Government Developments (Departments and Regulations)

• ·         On June 17, Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, announced that the Government of Canada would be publishing proposedLocomotive Emissions Regulations to limit air pollutionin the Canada Gazette Part 1 on June 18, 2016.
• ·         In the June 18edition of Canada Gazette Part 1, government notice was given regarding the Canada Transportation Act and the levy on shipments of crude oil by rail. In detail, “the amount of the levy in respect of payments into the Fund for Railway Accidents Involving Designated Goods required by subsection 155.7(1) of the Act is $1.67 per tonne during the year commencing April 1, 2016”.
• ·         In the June 18edition of Canada Gazette Part 1, the Government of Canada published proposed Locomotive Emissions Regulations, under the Railway Safety Act, to control CAC emissions from locomotives. The Proposed Regulations would come into force on the day in which they are registered and would apply to railway companies as they are defined in the railway safety act. Locomotive emission standards would be specified for smoke opacity and air pollutant emissions. Other requirements for controlling idling, labelling, record keeping and reporting would also be specified.
• ·         On June 28, it was announced that the Transportation Safety Board of Canada would be launching an investigation into an uncontrolled train movement which ran from CN Railway’s MacMilan Yard in Toronto, for 3.2 miles on the CN York Subdivision on June 17.
• ·         In the June 29 edition of Canada Gazette Part 2, the Government of Canada published amendments to the annexed Regulations Amending the First Nations Property Assessment and Taxation (Railway Rights-of-Way) Regulations. In summary, the Shuswap First Nation (located across the Columbia River from Invermere, British Columbia) have gained authority to levy property tax revenue against railway rights-of-way areas on reserve lands under the First Nations Fiscal Management Act, payable by the Canadian Pacigic Railway.

Federal Parliamentary Developments (House of Commons)

The House of Commons adjourned for the summer on Friday, June 17, and is scheduled to return on Monday, September 19, 2016.

Federal Parliamentary Developments (Senate)

The Senate adjourned for the summer on Tuesday, June 22, and is scheduled to return Tuesday, September 27, 2016.

Provincial Government Developments

• ·         On June 17, Premier Peter Taptuna announced changes to Nunavut’s executive council, effective June 24. Notable changes include Honourable Monica Ell-Kanayuk as Minister of Economic Development and Transportation and Honourable Joe Savikataaq as Minister of Community and Government Services.
• ·         On June 20, Ontario announced the expansion of Go Rail Service in Durham Region by nearly 20 kilometres and the building of four new stations. The new GO rail service is expected to begin by 2023-24.
• ·         On June 21, Ontario announced four new GO Train stations along the Barrie and Kitchener GO Transit lines as part of Metrolinx’s Regional Express Rail (RER) program. RER will provide faster and more frequent GO train service across the region, with electrification of core segments of the network. Weekly trips across the entire GO rail network are expected to grow from about 1,500 to nearly 6,000 over 10 years.
• ·         On June 22, Ontario announced four new GO Train stations along the Stouffville and Lakeshore East GO Transit lines as part of Metrolinx’s Regional Express Rail (RER) program.
• ·         On June 24, Ontario announced three new GO Train stations along the Barrie GO Transit line as part of Metrolinx’s GO Regional Express Rail program – one each in the areas of Kirby Road in Vaughan, Mulock in the Town of Newmarket and Innisfil in Simcoe County.
• ·         On June 28, Ontario announced a plan to bring new weekday GO rail service between the future Confederation GO Station in Hamilton and the Niagara Region starting in 2021, with service to Niagara Falls by 2023. Subject to a final agreement with CN Rail, Metrolinx will start the consultations, planning and design work required to implement the service including: track improvements, new and upgraded rail stations, a new layover facility in Niagara Falls, additional GO rail fleet, and more than 30 kilometres of new track.

Sitting Legislatures

• ·         Sitting Legislatures: Manitoba, Northwest Territories, and Saskatchewan.
• ·         Upcoming returns:
  - Federal: House of Commons on September 19, Senate on September 27
  - New Brunswick: June 28
  - Ontario: September 12
  - British Columbia: October 3
  - Alberta: October 31
  - PEI: November 15
  - Nunavut: October 19
  - Quebec: September 20
  - Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Yukon: TBD

Pre-Budget Consultations

• ·         The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance has commenced the Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the 2017 Budget. Canadians are invited to submit a brief before 11:59 p.m. (EST) on Friday, August 5, 2016, or to request to appear.