September 20, 2006
For Immediate Release
Mike Wallace Speaks to C-11 and addresses Railway Noise Issues in Burlington.

OTTAWA- Mike Wallace, MP for Burlington spoke in the House of Commons yesterday in support of important changes to the Canada Transportation Act in Bill C-11, changes that will help improve the environment for passenger rail services, preserve valuable rail infrastructure in urban areas, and make communities served by railways more liveable.

“Through a number of amendments to the CTA, the government is introducing several measures that will benefit the passenger rail services that are critical for the movement of the growing number of commuters in my community and throughout the GTA” said Mr. Wallace is in his remarks.

He also addressed the important issue of railway noise, something that he has been working with residents, local city councillor Rick Craven and railway officials on over the summer. Proposed changes to the bill authorize the Canadian Transportation Agency to review noise complaints for the very first time and, if required, order railway companies to make changes to reduce reasonable noise when constructing or operating railway and railway yards.

Mr. Wallace commented specifically about the issue in his riding; “GO Transit is adding a whole new line, a new track through my riding of Burlington to Toronto, to provide us with ongoing, everyday, all-day GO Train service. The people who live in Burlington understand the need for an expanded GO Train service to Burlington, but do they need to have the railway constructed in the middle of the night with no notice? That is what has happened over the summer. The new changes that we are proposing in this bill make changes on the noise side to give us some authority to ensure that, at the bare minimum, the people who are affected on a daily basis get an opportunity to register complaints and voice their concerns.”

A video of the remarks made by Mr. Wallace in the House will be available shortly at www.mikewallace.ca. The full text of his speech is available as an attachment to this e-mail message.

For further information please contact:

R J W W
Jon. W. Watson, EA LA
Mike Wallace, MP Burlington
www.mikewallace.ca

T: (613) 995 0881
T: (613) 796 9047
T: (905) 639 5757
F: (613) 995 1091

763 Confederation
House of Commons
OTTAWA K1A 0A6