CN Rail says safety is top priority as service resumes after Quebec train derailment

CN Rail says safety is its top priority, as train service resumes following a derailment on the edge of a suburban residential area northeast of Montreal. 

Repentigny, Que., Mayor Nicolas Dufour says that while many residents feel reassured by the work being carried out, others still have safety concerns. 

Though no dangerous materials were spilled and no one was injured, 49 rail cars went off the tracks near homes along the railway at around 5 p.m. Sunday.

CN says crews completely rebuilt the track and track bed before train service resumed overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, with more repairs being carried out over the next few days. 

When work is completed, the railway company says approximately 750 metres of track and 2,100 tonnes of new ballast will have been put into the restoration. A new public crossing is also being built.

Trains are also going through the area at significantly reduced speeds while engineering assessments are carried out. 

Meanwhile, the railway company and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada are investigating Sunday’s accident.

Though the company says it’s too soon to determine the cause of the derailment, it believes weather, water, thermal expansion due to high temperatures, track geography and mechanical parts could all be factors. 

“Safety is our core value and we will not compromise on this,” the railway company wrote in a statement Wednesday. 

Dufour says the city is keeping a close eye on how the repairs progress. 

He says he requested a meeting with the railway company to negotiate speed limits for trains running through residential areas. He also wants the company to participate in a public consultation with residents affected by the derailment.

“The safety, well-being, and quality of life of Repentigny’s residents will continue to guide every action I take,” the mayor said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2026.