Committed to Safety: An Open Letter to CMQ Communities

The following letter to communities was issued on November 6 by CP’s President and CEO, Keith Creel.

At Canadian Pacific (CP), operating safely is more than just a requirement for doing business; it is fundamental to who we are as a company. Because of this deeply entrenched philosophy, CP has operated the safest railway in North America for the last 16 years, as measured by train accident frequency.

Running a safe railway is a journey, not a destination. Our safety journey with the Central Maine and Quebec Railway (CMQ) started on June 4 when we assumed full ownership of the entire line. The CMQ network runs
from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu through many communities in Québec’s Eastern Townships, and then onward to Maine and Vermont.

We are investing over $90 million to upgrade the CMQ rail network. CMQ has worked tirelessly over the summer to ensure that this work is progressed both quickly and safely. These comprehensive upgrades will bring the CMQ infrastructure up to CP’s industry-leading safety standards and, in many cases, will exceed Transport Canada’s regulatory requirements.

In the last five months alone, we replaced more than 50,000 cross ties and 300 segments of rail across the CMQ network in Québec. We also revitalized two culverts, enhanced 50 switches, and improved ten grade crossings. This important work will continue over the coming months. In addition to upgrading the infrastructure to a higher standard, the CMQ network will benefit from the same robust and diligent maintenance regime that CP undertakes on the rest of our rail network across North America.

Looking forward, we will continue harnessing the power of the most cutting-edge technology so that we can deliver essential goods and services, support economic growth across Eastern Canada and drive safety improvement everywhere we operate. Our talented team of railroaders is the best in the world. They will always be dedicated to finding new ways to improve safety.

At CP, our dedication to safety is rooted in our culture. It is unrelenting. You have my personal commitment that we will always dedicate ourselves to operating the safest railway, not only in your community, but also across North America, day in and day out.