TSB Quarterly Review — Second quarter 2019-20
ISSN 2369-7954
October 2019
Chair's message
It was a very busy summer for the TSB. From July to September, we deployed investigators to 20 occurrence sites across the country, and released 12 investigation reports. We also posted 4 summaries of class 5 investigations, published 19 new investigation pages, and provided 41 status updates for all active class 1-3 investigations.
Annual Report tabled
In July, our Annual Report for 2018–19 was tabled in Parliament. This report discusses key annual statistics on occurrences in the aviation, marine, rail and pipeline modes of transportation under federal jurisdiction, and how we worked to advance safety for travelers and industry workers in all four sectors across Canada and internationally. Efforts to modernize and streamline our investigation process continued to pay dividends in 2018–19. The annual number of investigations completed increased for a second year in a row by 18% in 2018–19 and by 81% since 2016–17.
Watchlist consultations
It’s been nearly a year since we launched Watchlist 2018. It is therefore timely to connect with our stakeholders to get their insights and updates. To do this, we recently sent out questionnaires to a number of key stakeholders, soliciting their feedback on the Watchlist and inquiring about their progress on safety issues within their mode of transportation. This survey will inform panel presentations and other discussions we will be holding with industry members at several major conferences and events this fall. The feedback we receive will be shared among participants and posted on our website
Policy updates
The Board has made adjustments to two important TSB policies based on feedback from stakeholders and investigators.
- The Policy on Occurrence Classification now makes provision for summaries of select data gathering investigations (class 5) to be posted on the TSB website generally within 90 days.
- The Policy on Representations on Confidential Draft Reports was amended to allow reviewers 5 additional days for class 4 investigation reports.
New Chief Operating Officer
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome André Lapointe as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the agency. Mr. Lapointe is a seasoned executive, with 28 years of work experience in the public service, including 19 at the executive level. Between 2014 and his joining the TSB in 2019, he served as Transport Canada’s Assistant Deputy Minister of Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer. On behalf of the TSB and all stakeholders, I would like to sincerely thank former COO Jean Laporte for his leadership and his 35-year dedication to transportation safety. Mr. Laporte retired from the public service last September.
Chief Operating Officer, TSB
Completed investigations
- Controlled flight into terrain near Little Grand Rapids Airport, Manitoba
- Collision with terrain near Timmins, Ontario
- Possible bottom contact of the bulk carrier Maccoa near Kahnawake, Quebec.
- Derailment at Sept-Îles Yard, Quebec
- Collision with terrain at Abbotsford Airport, British Columbia
- Fatal cardiac event aboard bulk carrier near Port-Daniel Gascons, Quebec
- Fatal collision with terrain in Kananaskis Country, Alberta
- Uncontrolled fall of a rescue boat from a passenger British Columbia ferry in Swartz Bay, British Columbia
- Fatal railway crossing accident in Chilliwack, British Columbia
- Fatal collision between a snowplow and a train at a railway crossing in London, Ontario
- Loss of separation near Montreal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Quebec
- Main-track derailment in Landis, Saskatchewan
Post-deployment summaries
- Collision with water in Jasper, Alberta
- Severe turbulence encounter in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
- Collision with terrain at Sussex Airport, New Brunswick
- Collision with terrain at Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport, Ontario
New investigation pages
- Racine, Quebec – Air
- Lac-à-la-Tortue, Quebec – Air
- Toronto, Ontario – Rail
- Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Ontario – Air
- Kenora, Ontario – Rail
- Mayo Lake, Yukon – Air
- Upper Raft Lake, Ontario – Air
- Irvine, Alberta – Rail
- Enfield, Nova Scotia – Rail
- Senneterre, Quebec – Air
- Addenbroke Island, B.C. – Air
- Black Diamond, Alberta – Air
- Southwest of Sable Island, N.S. – Air
- Edmonton International Airport, Alberta – Air
- Mistatin Lake, N.L. – Air
- Lac Boulène, Quebec – Air
- Hawk Junction, Ontario – Air
- Lac Valtrie, Quebec – Air
- Rougemont, Quebec – Air