Repeal of Railway Employee Qualification Rules

Summary#

This order, SOR/2026-142, formally repeals the Railway Employee Qualification Standards Regulations. It takes effect when the Railway Personnel Training and Qualifications Regulations come into force, or on the day the order was registered if that happens after the new regulations are already in force (June 22, 2026).

What it does#

• Removes the old rules known as the Railway Employee Qualification Standards Regulations (the regulations first made as SOR/87-150).
• Makes that repeal effective tied to the start date of the new rules: the Railway Personnel Training and Qualifications Regulations.
• If those new regulations are already in force before the repeal was registered, the repeal comes into force on registration (June 22, 2026).
• Points readers to the related analysis: the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement is published with SOR/2026-141, Railway Personnel Training and Qualifications Regulations.

Who's affected#

• Railway companies and their human-resources, safety, and training teams.
• Railway employees whose qualifications and training are set under federal rules.
• Organizations that provide training or certification for rail workers.
• Federal safety officials and inspectors who apply and enforce railway training rules.

If it’s unclear who is affected in a specific case, the new Railway Personnel Training and Qualifications Regulations and their Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement will have the detailed rules and timing.

Why it matters#

• This is a housekeeping step to remove an older set of qualification rules so the new training-and-qualification regulations can operate without overlap.
• For rail companies and workers, it may change how training, testing, and certification are done — and when those changes start depends on when the new regulations come into force.
• Anyone responsible for rail safety training should check the new Railway Personnel Training and Qualifications Regulations and the accompanying analysis to understand new obligations and timelines.