The Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, today issued the following statement to mark the twelve years that have passed since the Lac-Mégantic tragedy:
"Twelve years ago, the community of Lac-Mégantic experienced a devastating tragedy. On that day, 47 lives were lost, and a vibrant downtown was devastated by a train derailment that left an indelible mark on the heart of Quebec and all of Canada.
"On this day of remembrance, we pause in memory of the victims, we offer our thoughts to the survivors, and we salute the courage of an entire community that, year after year, continues to rebuild itself with dignity and resilience.
"The Government of Canada remains firmly committed to ensuring that such a tragedy never happens again. The construction of the Lac-Mégantic rail bypass is one of my priorities. We are committed to working closely with the local communities until its completion. We have strengthened rail safety rules, modernized our oversight systems, and continued to work with our partners to build a safer, more sustainable, and people-centred transportation system.
"We have learned from the Lac-Mégantic derailment. This tragedy must never be forgotten, because it pushes us to do better, to be more rigorous, and to never accept the unacceptable. We owe our determination to the victims, and our concrete action to the generations to come."
