Railways
Annual State of Safety 2024
State of Safety: Railways
We regulate railways that operate solely within BC and have a Ministers Certificate, Operating Permit and Safety Management System issued by the BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit.
Provincial railways are subject to the British Columbia Railway Act, Railway Safety Act (BC), and adopted federal railway safety legislation. We regulate five different classes of railways: common carrier, heritage, commuter, industrial, and industrial sidings and spurs.
191
incidents reported to us
23
injuries reported to us
270
completed audits
Incidents
Railways are responsible for ensuring all hazards are properly managed for safe railway operations. Continuing our education efforts, we provide operational information detailing the consequences of unsafe conditions that can impact the safety of railway employees, the public and the environment.
In 2024, 191 incidents were reported to us, an increase of 15% over the previous year. These incidents included 109 ranked as “insignificant,” 57 ranked as “minor,” and 13 ranked as “moderate.” Four incidents were ranked as “major” and eight were ranked as “severe.”
Railway Incidents by Year (2020 - 2024)
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Injuries
In 2024, 23 injuries were reported to us, which is an increase of 77% compared to 2023. Among the injuries, two injuries ranked as “insignificant” and six were ranked as “minor.” Ten were ranked “moderate,” two were ranked as “major,” and three were ranked as “severe.” There were also five confirmed fatalities, four of which were a result of human-train contact on commuter lines.
We receive injury reports and descriptions from operators or first responders at the time of, or immediately following, the incident. Injuries may develop after the initial reports were made to us and the long-term effects of a resulting injury may not be recorded as part of our investigation. Since the State of Safety Report for 2023, we have changed our reporting to include all fatalities related to human-train contact in the data reflected below. The historical data presented here has been adjusted to reflect this change. We do not distinguish between accidental incidents leading to fatalities or if human-train contact was intended by the individual.
Railway Injuries by Year (2020 - 2024), Including Fatal Injuries
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Railway Fatalities by Year (2020-2024)
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Permits
Technical Safety BC does not issue railway installation permits.
Assessments and Audits
As part of regular oversight, our railway safety officers assess and audit all operating railways.
In 2024, Technical Safety BC's railway program conducted multiple audits on local commuter railways to assess track inspection processes, and ensure civil infrastructure was evaluated in accordance with relevant standards and required intervals. As a part of the audit process, the team reviewed the effectiveness of maintenance strategies, determined if non-compliance issues exist, assessed safety hazards, and examined gaps in maintenance practices.
Audit findings indicate that railways are meeting their responsibilities within the audit framework, demonstrating compliance with all applicable standards and regulations.
Railway safety officers engaged directly with track inspection teams from each railway to conduct detailed inspections of pre-determined sections of mainline guideways. The process also included a comprehensive review of corrective actions taken in response to previous inspection findings. The team anticipates that this work will continue through the end of the second quarter of 2025, focusing on the completion of critical guideway sections.
To date, audit findings indicate that railways are meeting their responsibilities within the audit framework and demonstrating compliance with all applicable standards and regulations.
Additionally, several audits were carried out on continuing transit projects at various stages of completion. These include: the MRKV SkyTrain Vehicle Procurement Project, Broadway Subway Project (BSP), Operations Control Center 2 (OCC2), Operations & Maintenance Center 4 (OMC4) and Capstan Station.
International Research and Benchmarking
Our safety officers traveled to the United Kingdom to engage with leading London control centers and studied their operational strategies, methodologies, and procedures. This research was undertaken to support the development of SkyTrain’s new Operations Control Center (OCC2). Our team visited the following sites to examine operations and maintenance practices on comparable railway systems: Hammersmith Control Center (London Underground), London Docklands Beckton Control Center, and the Network Rail Romford Control Center.
During the visit, the railway team also met with the Imperial College London, Community of Metros Benchmarking Group (COMET) for a presentation on British Columbia Rapid Transit (SkyTrain)’s key performance indicators. COMET’s primary objective is to facilitate performance comparisons and the exchange of best practices among metro systems worldwide. The benchmarking process provided valuable data-driven insights, including:
- Performance Comparison: SkyTrain was ranked 7th out of 19 peer transit systems – (Comparing train-human contact, service delivery, safety and security)
- Strengths & Weaknesses: Identifying areas of excellence and opportunities for improvement
- Data-Driven Decision-Making: Using quantitative analysis to validate best practices and set strategic targets
Additionally, best practice studies and discussions focus on:
- Innovation & Improvement: Understanding what leading transit agencies are doing to enhance efficiency and reliability
- Lessons Learned: Identifying what strategies are effective and which ones are not
- Implementation Strategies: Developing practical approaches for adopting best practices
Through these audits and international research efforts, we continue to enhance railway safety and operational effectiveness, ensuring that British Columbia’s transit systems meet the highest industry standards.