Overview

• The railway filed a Federal Court application on June 13 seeking to compel Parks Canada to allow an environmental impact assessment for a protective berm along its main line in Jasper National Park.
• CN’s experts warn the Snake Indian River is at imminent risk of avulsion that could destroy tracks, halt east–west service and trigger a derailment.
• Parks Canada has stalled CN’s flood barrier proposals for nearly eight years by rejecting impact assessments and barring dredging and in-park material sourcing under wilderness policies.
• In its January 2024 submission, CN offered two berm options: importing fill from outside the park or dredging riverbed gravel to reduce the structure’s footprint and habitat impact.
• The contested rail corridor links B.C. ports with Canada’s interior and is deemed critical infrastructure for national trade and supply chains.