CP Rail, municipalities tout new complaint process

BANFF, Alta. (May 29, 2001) — The Federation of Canadian Municipalities and Canadian Pacific Railway today announced the development of a process for local governments and the railway to resolve community disputes without involving courts or regulators.

FCM and CPR will introduce the model to other industry players with the hope of further development as standardized industry practice.

Currently, the process for resolving issues such as noise is discretionary. The jointly-developed FCM/CPR process is based on joint community/company resolution process, including, where appropriate, the formation of local working and/or advisory committees.

CPR has established a toll-free complaint line (1-800/766-7912) people can use to voice their concerns or ideas.

Using a series of pilot sites to test the new local dispute resolution process, FCM and CPR said they will spend the next several months developing an implementation plan.