Articles on Lac-Megantic

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Disasters affect all, human and non-human alike. It is imperative that we consider the harms to non-human life and ecosystems as both a moral obligation and a realistic effort to preserve the ecosystem services upon which we all rely. (Jesse Brothers/Sioux City Journal via AP)

Why we must address the interconnected harms to people, animals and ecosystems in train derailments

Bridget Nicholls, University of Windsor; Amy Fitzgerald, University of Windsor, and Jennifer Halliday, University of Windsor

Focusing solely on humans at the expense of other life in the aftermath of train derailments limits the effectiveness of our disaster response management.
Smoke rises from destroyed railway cars that were carrying crude oil after derailing in downtown Lac-Mégantic, Que., the day after the derailment and explosion killed 47 people. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

On the 10th anniversary of the Lac‑Mégantic rail disaster, what’s changed?

Bruce Campbell, Toronto Metropolitan University; York University, Canada

Lac-Mégantic haunts rail transportation in North America. Here’s a look at how little has changed when it comes to rail safety since the disaster in rural Québec10 years ago.
Smoke rises from railway cars that were carrying crude oil after derailing in Lac-Mégantic, Que., in 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Rail accidents: Public safety and accountability suffer because of deregulation

Bruce Campbell, York University, Canada and Jennifer Quaid, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

The recent rail accident in Ohio is raising questions about who should be responsible for the aftermath of derailments. Residents impacted by a 10-year-old rail tragedy in Canada still want answers.
A policy decision to allow the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway — a company with a poor safety record – to run its trains through a town in Québec with single person crews resulted the fourth deadliest railway disaster in Canadian history in 2013. Eight years later, Transport Canada is still suffering from safety issues. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

To prevent disasters like Lac‑Mégantic, private interests cannot be allowed to affect regulations

Bruce Campbell, York University, Canada

Industries have blocked or delayed new regulations and pushed to remove or dilute existing regulations by framing regulations as detrimental to creating jobs and wealth.
The recent train derailment in B.C. was one of a rash of high-profile derailments in Canada since the beginning of 2019. While none compares in magnitude with Lac-Mégantic, they evoke disturbing parallels to that tragedy. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

With more oil to be shipped by rail, train derailments show enduring safety gaps

Mark Winfield, York University, Canada and Bruce Campbell, York University, Canada

The recent B.C. train derailment raises questions about whether any lessons have been learned from the Lac-Mégantic disaster of 2013.
A hand touches the monument that honours the 26 coal miners who perished in the Westray mine disaster at the Westray Miners Memorial Park in New Glasgow, N.S. On the 26th anniversary of the disaster, are we doing enough to ensure those responsible for such disasters are accountable? THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

The importance of accountability after deadly disasters

Kevin Quigley, Dalhousie University

This week marks the 26th anniversary of the Westray mine disaster in Nova Scotia. There have been plenty of disasters since then but we still struggle to hold people to account when systems fail.

Related Topics

  1. Deregulation
  2. Disaster
  3. Quebec
  4. Rail safety
  5. Train derailments
  6. Trains
  7. Train safety
  8. Transport Canada

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