Funding for a railway crossing upgrade was announced for Powassan, south of North Bay.
Transport Canada will fund half - $242,786 - of the $485,573 Canadian National Railway project, consisting of the installation of a new crossing warning system consisting of flashing lights, bell, automatic gates and constant warning device and to install Rail Fusion, a remote monitoring data-gathering platform.
Sudbury MP Paul Lefebvre made the announcement Sept. 30 on behalf of Transport Minister Marc Garneau.
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The funding is part of the federal Rail Safety Improvement Program to improve rail safety and prevent accidents, post-Lac Megantic.
In the past four years, Ottawa has spent $85 million in the form of grants and contributions into new technology, research and studies, and the improvements to road-rail grade crossings and the closure of other crossings that present safety concerns.
Grade crossing and trespassing accidents still cause the most rail-related deaths and serious injuries in Canada.
“This funding is essential to improve rail safety in communities across the country, including those in our riding of Nipissing-Timiskaming," said Anthony Rota, the MP for Nipissing-Timiskaming, in a statement.
"Not only do we need to promote that message of exercising caution around railways, but this government is backing that up by providing a way for municipalities like Powassan to improve upon those safety measures.”
