FCM-RAC Proximity Guidelines Questionnaire

The Proximity Guidelines were established in 2003 to build common approaches for the prevention and resolution of issues that arise when people live and work near railway operations. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) promote the Guidelines through the Proximity Initiative.

The FCM-RAC Proximity Guidelines are intended for use by municipalities and provincial governments, municipal staff, railways, developers, and property owners when new developments in proximity to railway operations are proposed.

The Proximity Initiative is led by a committee of municipal elected officials and senior railway representatives from across Canada, who work together to develop strategies to reduce misunderstanding, increase safety, and avoid unnecessary conflict arising from railway-community proximity. We are also working closely with the federal government through Transport Canada, as well as provincial and local governments to help address public safety and livability issues in proximity to rail corridors.

As the Proximity Guidelines have been available for municipalities to use for nearly 20 years, we are reaching out to our communities across the country to gather important data that will highlight areas we need to emphasize as we prepare to update the Guidelines by 2023