Railway Safety Act

Marginal note:Other exemptions

• 22.1 (1) A railway company that proposes to conduct testing relating to rail transportation, or that requires an immediate exemption of short duration, is exempt from the application of any provision of standards formulated under section 7, regulations made under subsection 18(1) or (2) or 24(1) or rules in force under section 19 or 20 during any period that the company considers necessary. However, the exemption is effective only if the railway company files a notice of the exemption with the Minister and each relevant association or organization that is likely to be affected by the exemption and

  • (a) within twenty-one days after filing the notice, the company receives a response from the Minister and each of those associations and organizations indicating that they do not object to the exemption; or

  • (b) no objections are confirmed or made by the Minister under subsection (3).

• Marginal note:Objections

  (2) Each of the relevant associations or organizations may object to the exemption on the grounds of safety. The objection must be filed with the Minister and the railway company within fourteen days after the notice referred to in subsection (1) is filed.

• Marginal note:Minister’s decision

  (3) The Minister may

  • (a) within seven days after the filing of an objection under subsection (2), confirm the objection if the Minister decides that the exemption threatens safety; or

  • (b) within twenty-one days after receiving the notice under subsection (1), object to the exemption if the Minister is of the opinion that the exemption is not in the public interest or that it is likely to threaten safety.