Brockville council to consider proclaiming Sept. 21-27 as Rail Safety Week

Brockville city council will once again consider proclaiming Sept. 21 to 27, 2026, as Rail Safety Week during its meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8, joining communities across Canada in promoting awareness about the dangers of railway crossings and trespassing on railway property.

The request to council comes from CN and Operation Lifesaver Canada, organizations that have partnered for more than two decades to educate the public about rail safety.

Rail Safety Week is observed annually across Canada to remind motorists, pedestrians and cyclists to obey warning signals at crossings, never trespass on railway property and remain vigilant whenever they are near trains or rail infrastructure.

According to the proclamation request, recent years have seen troubling increases in deaths and serious injuries related to railway incidents due to contributing factors like inattentive or distracted behaviour at rail crossings, risky actions around trains, the growth of encampments along rail corridors, and mental health crises.

“Rail safety is a shared responsibility,” writes CN officials. “We would be honoured to publicly acknowledge your commitment to this cause if you agree to participate.”

The request has already received support from City Manager Sandra MacDonald, who said the city would be “pleased to continue to support public awareness for rail safety” in a June 23 email responding to CN’s request.