Question Period Note: Semi-trailer and bus collision

Semi-trailer and bus collision - Various media outlets

• Our thoughts are with the victims, families and communities affected by the collision involving a semi-trailer and bus near Carberry, Manitoba.
• As this is an active police investigation, in its early stages, questions should be directed to the RCMP.
• Transport Canada’s Collision Investigations team is working with the RCMP to provide every possible support during the investigation, such as vehicle inspection and collision reconstruction analysis.
• Transport Canada is committed to strengthening road safety in Canada, including measures to protect the travelling public from risks associated with commercial motor vehicles.

If Pressed

• Taking action in this area, we have worked with provincial and territorial partners to:
  o Issue a national standard for entry-level training for commercial drivers, helping to ensure they have the essential skills and knowledge to safely operate their vehicles in Canada;
  o Mandate electronic logging devices to mitigate the risk of driver fatigue;
  o Require electronic stability control systems to improve driver control;
  o Make seatbelts mandatory on all new on highway buses in Canada.
  Transport Canada continues to work with provinces/territories and industry partners to look for ways to further strengthen commercial vehicle safety, including through the adoption of safety-enhancing technologies.

• June 15, 2023, a semi-trailer collided with a bus carrying 25 passengers – mainly seniors – on Highway 1/close to Highway 5, near the town of Carberry in southwestern Manitoba (approximately 170 kilometers from Winnipeg). Preliminary reports suggests there were 15 fatalities and an additional 10 passengers transported to hospital in unknown condition.
• The RCMP is the lead for the investigation, including as it relates to any potential criminal elements (e.g. determining "fault" for possible charges).
• Under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, Transport Canada conducts in-depth investigations of real-world collisions, working closely with the police of local jurisdiction (e.g. RCMP) and provincial/territorial governments to provide every possible support during the investigation.
• In the case of the Carberry collision, Transport Canada’s Collision Investigations team is working closely with the RCMP in Manitoba, who are the police of local jurisdiction. TC will be providing support throughout investigation (e.g. vehicle inspection, collision reconstruction analysis). This approach aligns with the support provided in response to the April 2018 Humboldt collision.
• Recognizing that commercial motor vehicle safety is a shared responsibility between federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governments, TC continues to work closely with PT partners to strengthen commercial motor vehicle safety under the leadership of the FPT Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety (Council of Ministers), including through the adoption of safety-enhancing technologies.
  o Electronic logging devices: Federal (TC) requirements for electronic logging devices came into force on June 12, 2021, in order to reduce driver fatigue and to help prevent collisions. Following a period of education and awareness, enforcement began on January 1, 2023.
  o Entry level training: on February 14, 2020, the FPT Council of Ministers approved a national standard for entry-level training for commercial drivers, including heavy truck and highway bus/motor coach drivers. This national standard was embedded in the National Safety Code, which supports a consistent, national approach to commercial motor vehicle safety in Canada, and is the basis for provincial and territorial regulatory development across jurisdictions.
  o Seatbelts: On July 11, 2018, TC published regulations mandating seatbelts on medium and large highway buses with a view to improving bus occupant safety, especially in the event of severe bus collisions (e.g. rollovers). Accordingly, as of September 2020, aligned with equivalent U.S. rules (November 2016), all new motor coaches sold in Canada must be equipped with three-point seatbelts.

Location: Carberry, Manitoba