As more and more dangerous good traverse Canadian rail lines, communities across northern B.C. are worried about emergency preparedness if a derailment occurs close to home.

Rail safety in this part of the country has been a long-standing issue, especially since the Lac-Mégantic diester in Quebec a decade ago.

With the prospect of more dangerous goods, like diesel, propane and other hazardous materials travelling through Northwest, B.C. Member of Parliament for Skeena-Bulkley Valley, Taylor Bachrach, pressed Transport Canada officials this week about emergency preparedness plans and risk assessment reports, which Transport Canada has kept confidential.

The questioning has launched six days of parliamentary hearings on whether communities are adequately protected from spills and fires caused by the rail transport of dangerous goods.

On Friday the federal transport minister announced more than $45 million to improve rail safety across the country.

Today we speak with MP Taylor Bachrach about why he brought this to the committees attention again, and how lawmakers can improve rails safety across Canada that better protects communities.