POLICY COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF MAYORS

wn

.

IN GREATER VANCOUVER

600-4330 Kingsway, Burnaby, B.C. VSH 4G8 (604)432-6376

ie

February 26, 1986 :

The Honourable Don Mazankowski
Minister of Transport :
Place de Ville :
Ottawa, Ont. 7
K1iA ONS

Dear Mr. Minister

Re: Transportation of Dangerous Goods by Rail through Greater
Vancouver

The Mayors of the 14 municipalities in Greater Vancouver have for some
time been pressing the Canadian Transport Comnission Railway Transport.
Committee (CTC/RTC) to initiate a process for the—devélopment of a ;
long term plan for the movement of such goods by rail in our area. : j
Attention to hot spots and critical situations such as the current

hearing regarding transshipments of dangerous goods on the Vancouver

waterfront have dominated the hearings of the CTC/RTC. This case by

case approach, however, is an inadequate way to plan for the safe

movement of such goods in this urban area.

Nevertheless, we have responded to the initiative of the CTC/RTC for
its March 3, 1986 Hearing in Vancouver with our ideas about how a long
term planning process should be established. A copy of our submission
is attached.

Our purpose in writing to you is to ensure that you and your Cabinet
coi leagues:

1) establish the federal ‘lead’ agency for such a process;
2) appoint the chief federal representative to chair or co-chair the
' process, depending on your discussions with the provincial

Minister of Transportation and Hignways;
3) make an early commitment of the necessary resources to provide for

the federal involvement on a scale that would permit the work to
be completed by September 1987.

ooe/2

24 Lo

Village of Belcarra, District of Burnaby, District of Coquitlam, Corporation of Delta, City of New Westminster,

hn Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, City of Port Coquitlam. City of Port Moody, Township of Richmond | nn
District of Surrey, City of Vancouver, District of West Vancouver, City of White Rock. ot: