How do railways discontinue branch lines?
In June 2000, the Transfer and Discontinuance process was amended with the passage of Bill C-34. The steps that a railway company is required to follow to discontinue operations on a line include: notice in the three-year plan, public advertisement, negotiations with interest parties, offer to governments and a discontinuance notice (with possible compensation). See the Agency’s brochure Transfer and Discontinuance of Railway Operations and Railway Track Determinations for a complete description of the new process.
