The Government of Canada launches funding for Indigenous and local communities who contribute to engagement on railway safety
Transport Canada’s Program to Enhance Rail Safety Engagement (PERSE) provides funding to increase capacity for indigenous and local communities, organizations, and entities to engage with Transport Canada regarding the rail transportation system.
The program provides funding in the form of a contribution to a maximum of $150,000 per recipient and per application. The call for proposals opened December 15, 2022, and will remain open until February 16, 2023, with the intention to have contribution agreements in place for the 2023 – 2024 fiscal year. Please note that expenses will only be eligible as of the project approval date, which will be sent to you if your project is selected. Expenses incurred prior to the approval date will not be eligible. This program is intended to provide financial capacity support for resources to participate in eligible activities such as:
- Holding discussions to address gaps in Indigenous and local engagement on rail safety
- Engaging at the local and regional level on Indigenous and local communities’ representation in rail safety
- Researching the impact rail lines have on communities or traditional territories
Information sessions will be held on January 17 and 25, 2023. To register for an information session, to ask questions, or to submit an application, please contact: ProgramEnhanceRSEngagement-ProgrammeAmeliorerMobilisationSF@tc.gc.ca.
In addition to the PERSE program, Transport Canada also offers the Community Participant Funding Program – Rail Safety Component (CPFP-RS), which focuses on providing short-term grants of up to $5,000 per activity, to support local and Indigenous communities and organization rail safety engagement activities. The CPFP-RS has an open and ongoing call for grant proposals.
Further information on this call for funding applications can be found online.
Karrina Jung
Policy Advisor
780.955.4085
karrina@RMAlberta.com
Wyatt Skovron
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@RMAlberta.com