New Westminster MP Peter Julian believes all Canadians have a right to a good night’s sleep.
Julian tabled Bill C-218, the Railway Noise and Vibration Control Act in the House of Commons. The bill would prohibit railway companies from engaging in noisy activities close to residential areas from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., Monday to Friday and at any time on Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays.
The deadline to sign an e-petition in support of Bill C-218 is at 8:14 a.m. EST on Saturday, June 18. Names and contact information of people who sign the e-petition are confidential and the House of Commons deletes the information once Julian presents it in Parliament.
As of June 14, 378 people had signed Julian’s e-petition, which can be found at petitions.parl.gc.ca and search for Railway Noise and Vibration Control Act.
The petition states that the idling, sorting, coupling and decoupling and shunting of trains in rail yards, and the increasing ground vibration levels due to trains passing at high speed near residential areas, creates an incredible amount of noise and disruption as well as health concerns for residents living near the tracks. It goes on to say the federal government needs to properly regulate railway noise activities to allow communities to get the proper rest, sleep and sense of security and wellbeing they require.
“Sometimes you think it’s a warzone,” said Quayside resident David Prasad of the train noise. “Sometimes you can be quietly watching TV or reading and it’s like an explosion.”
Prasad attended a townhall meeting put on by Julian a couple of years ago and learned that the various railway companies seem to have different attitudes about noise. He’d like to see some legislative changes that require all railway companies to consider their impacts on residents.
