STOPTRACKTRAGEDIES: VIA RAIL PARTICIPATES ONCE AGAIN IN RAIL SAFETY WEEK

MONTREAL, September 21, 2020 – Once again, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) is raising awareness around railway safety by participating in Operation Lifesaver's 17th annual Rail Safety Week and invites the public to take part in this year's virtual edition of the event, the theme of which is #STOPTrackTragedies. 

"Whether on board our trains, in our stations or in the communities we serve, we remain committed to rail safety," said Cynthia Garneau, President and Chief Executive Officer. "As the national inter-city passenger rail service in Canada, we have a responsibility to continue educating the public and building on our relationships with communities and industry partners to prevent incidents around trains or tracks. Rail Safety Week, a landmark event in the rail industry, is a formidable example of prevention through collaboration. Thanks to this continued effort, we are working towards our goal to create a safer and more sustainable future for all Canadians." 

Prevention, through education of the public and training of employees, is a core component of the safety culture fostered at VIA Rail. VIA Rail Police, employees, and Operation Lifesaver ambassadors are proud to continue to take an active part in this Rail Safety Week and will participate in the virtual Operation Clear Track (on September 22) as well as in virtual rail safety school presentations and other local initiatives. During Rail Safety Week, VIA Rail Police will also increase patrols at VIA Rail stations and on VIA Rail tracks to inform commuters, drivers, and pedestrians on how to stay safe around railway tracks and trains. 

By joining forces with Operation Lifesaver, industry partners, and communities we serve, we will be building on the year-round actions deployed to educate the public, draw attention to the very real dangers of venturing near tracks, and raise awareness of precautions to take around railway property. 

The 17th Annual Rail Safety Week continues until September 27. More information can be found at StopTrackTragedies.ca. 

Follow VIA Rail and Operation Lifesaver on their social media platforms to learn more about this year's Rail Safety Week initiatives and use the hashtags #STOPTrackTragedies and #RSW2020 to support the campaign. 

About VIA Rail

As Canada’s national rail passenger service, VIA Rail (viarail.ca) and all its employees are mandated to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA Rail operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking over 400 communities across Canada, and about 180 more communities through intermodal partnerships, and safely transported over 5 million passengers in 2019. The Corporation has been awarded five Safety Awards and three Environment Awards by the Railway Association of Canada since 2007. Visit the “About VIA Rail” section at https://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail.