A railway under the legislative authority of Parliament is one that holds a valid certificate of fitness (COF). This list of federally regulated railways gives the date of the Canadian Transportation Agency decision which authorizes the issuance of each new or most recently amended certificate.1
| Railway Company | COF Issue Date |
|---|---|
| Arnaud Railway Company | February 12, 1997 |
| BNSF Railway Company | April 17, 2007 |
| Canadian National Railway Company | April 23, 2007 |
| Canadian Pacific Railway Company | August 9, 2007 |
| Chemin de fer de la Matapédia et du Golfe Inc. | September 28, 2007 |
| City of Ottawa carrying on business as Capital Railway | June 6, 2007 |
| CSX Transportation Inc. | October 31, 2006 |
| Eastern Maine Railway Company | June 30, 1997 |
| Essex Terminal Railway Company | April 21, 1997 |
| Ferroequus Railway Company Limited (Suspended) | May 19, 2005 |
| Goderich-Exeter Railway Company Limited | November 13, 1998 |
| Great Canadian Railtour Company Ltd. | January 17, 2007 |
| Hudson Bay Railway Company | May 9, 2001 |
| International Bridge and Terminal Company | June 27, 1997 |
| Kelowna Pacific Railway Company | February 18, 2000 |
| Kettle Falls International Railway Company | December 10, 2004 |
| Maine Central Railroad Company and Springfield Terminal Railway Company | October 28, 1997 |
| Minnesota, Dakota & Western Railway Company | June 27, 1997 |
| Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway, Ltd. and the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Canada Co. | September 9, 2005 |
| National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) | June 26, 1997 |
| Nipissing Central Railway Company | July 11, 1997 |
| Norfolk Southern Railway Company | December 19, 1996 |
| Okanagan Valley Railway Company | October 30, 1998 |
| Ottawa Central Railway Inc. | December 1, 2000 |
| Pacific and Arctic Railway and Navigation Company/ British Columbia Yukon Railway Company/ British Yukon Railway Company Limited carrying on business as or proposing to carry on business as White Pass & Yukon Route | November 25, 1997 |
| Quebec North Shore & Labrador Railway Company | November 2, 2007 |
| RaiLink Canada Ltd. | June 5, 2006 |
| St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad (Québec) Inc. | November 24, 1998 |
| Sydney Coal Railway Inc. | May 6, 2004 |
| Toronto Terminals Railway Company Limited | July 28, 1999 |
| Tshiuetin Rail Transportation Inc. | April 1, 2005 |
| Union Pacific Railroad Company | June 16, 1997 |
| VIA Rail Canada Inc. | May 6, 2004 |
| Wabush Lake Railway Company, Limited | February 12, 1997 |
| Province | Provincial Railway Safety Legislation | Provincial Railway Companies | MOU with TC | Enforcement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Railway Safety Act (SBC 2004, c. 8) |
5 short lines:
15 tourist/ recreational trains:
2 transit:
|
No |
Province inspects, audits and enforces |
| Alberta | Railway (Alberta) Act, (RSA 2000, c. R 4) |
2 short lines:
4 heritage railways:
|
Yes (expired) |
|
| Saskatchewan | The Railway Act, (1989 c. R-1-2 Statutes of Saskatchewan) amended in 1993, 1996, 2001, 2005 |
7 short lines:
|
Yes |
|
| Manitoba | The Provincial Railways Act (C.C.S.M. 1995, c. R15) |
2 short lines:
1 excursion:
|
Yes |
|
| Ontario | Shortline Railways Act (S.O. 1995, c. 2) |
12 short lines:
|
Yes | TC inspects and enforces |
| Quebec |
Loi sur les chemins de fer (L.R.Q., c. C-14.1 1993) for certification to operate Loi sur la sécurité du transport terrestre guidé (L.R.Q., c. S-3.3 1988) for regulation of safety |
6 short lines:
1 tourist train:
3 industrial lines:
|
Yes |
|
| New Brunswick | Shortline Railways Act (1994 c. S-8.1) |
2 short lines (only 1 covered by the MOU):
1 excursion (not operating):
|
Yes |
|
| Nova Scotia | Railways Act Chapter 11 of the Acts of 1993 (amended in 1995-96, 2001) |
2 short lines:
Railway
|
Yes |
|
Several railways are operating that do not have certificates of fitness from the CTA, and are not regulated under corresponding provincial railway safety legislation, including:
| Province | Provincial Legislation | Provincial Railway Company |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | British Columbia Transit Act (RSBC 1996, c. 38) | West Coast Express (commuter services in greater Vancouver) |
| Manitoba | City of Winnipeg Charter (S.M. 2002, c. 39) | Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway |
| Ontario | Greater Toronto Transportation Authority Act (S.O. 2006, c. 16) | GO Transit (commuter services in greater Toronto) |
| Ontario Northland Transportation Commission Act | Ontario Northland | |
| Quebec | Loi sur l'Agence métropolitaine de transport (L.R.Q., c. A-7.02) | l'Agence métropolitaine de transport, AMT (commuter services in greater Montreal) |
Notes:
1 http://www.cta-otc.gc.ca/rail-ferro/companies/companies_e.html. CTA Decision No. 197-R-2007 of April 23, 2007 cancelled Certificates of Fitness for Algoma Central Railway Inc., and Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Company (now integrated into CN's operations).
2 Information provided by provincial authorities; current to November 2007. Note that no railways operate under provincial jurisdiction in Newfoundland and Labrador, or Prince Edward Island.