The City of Dawson Creek is officially joining communities across Canada to spotlight railway safety this week, urging drivers and pedestrians alike to keep their eyes and ears open near tracks.
At Monday’s regular council meeting, Mayor Darcy Dober proclaimed Sept. 21 to 27 as Rail Safety Week, aligning local efforts with a broader national campaign to curb preventable accidents.
The push comes on the heels of sobering national statistics. Across Canada in 2025, there were 252 railway crossing incidents. Those incidents resulted in 69 fatalities and 60 serious injuries, tragedies that safety advocates stress could have been avoided.
The official proclamation highlights key safety reminders for residents, emphasizing that railway rights-of-way are private property. City officials and safety groups are encouraging community members to obey established traffic laws, stay alert at highway-rail grade crossings, and make sure to look and listen whenever they are near tracks.
The local proclamation was requested by CN and Operation Lifesaver, a national public-private partnership working alongside governments, police services, Indigenous communities and local media to raise awareness and save lives.
Dober is encouraging all Dawson Creek residents to join in observing the week and practising safe habits around tracks year-round.
