Operating a Shortline Railway in Manitoba
If you interested in operating a shortline railway in Manitoba, you should email the Rail Safety Officer to start the application process. For all provincial regulatory requirements, the rail safety officer is your primary contact.
Railway Operating Licence Application Requirements and Procedures (PDF)
To operate a shortline railway (SLR) in Manitoba, you must obtain:
- a railway operating licence (no fee, no renewal)
- a engineer's certification of fitness (fee, annual renewal)
- a certificate of demonstrated fitness (no fee, issued with ROL and renewed annually in August)
You must also develop and maintain a safety management system that meets the requirements of Part 2 of Transport Canada's Safety Management System Regulations.
If the railway will be operating on federally-regulated track, you will have to apply to Transport Canada for a railway operating certificate.
Transport Canada's rules, regulations, standards and guidelines apply to provincial shortline railways. Keep track of the ones that apply to your operation, become familiar with them, and check online regularly for updates. There are several Transport Canada publications that may be helpful. The Railway Association of Canada and other industry associations are also good sources of information.
For general inquiries or more information, you can contact the rail safety office by email or by calling 204-945-3890.
Shortline Railways may send applications for renewal of Certificate of Demonstrated Fitness to railsafety@gov.mb.ca. When sending these renewal applications ensure the subject line clearly identifies the railway and reason for the contact.
