Originally posted on Steve’s Councillor Ward 2 Facebook page, March 31, 2025
A question Ward 2 residents will occasionally ask us:
Can’t we get CN to stop sounding the whistle at the crossing on Market, especially at night?
Some of those enquiries will also include instructions from the Transport Canada website on how a Municipality can apply for Whistle Cessation. My response to these requests is usually fairly general, stating that it is very difficult to get CN to stop the whistle, and I usually include some local context, sharing a bad memory of the tragedy of a local teen who was hit by the train near the Market Street crossing, 20+ years ago.
On March 31, 2025 while representing the County of Brant at the Good Roads Conference in Toronto, I figured it was an appropriate opportunity for me to meet with CN Rail and refresh my knowledge on the details and facts related to applying for Whistle Cessation.
The short answer is that Yes, in select circumstances a Whistle Cessation might be negotiated. However, in those situations, the Municipality takes on all future liability for any accidents involving the crossing and the train, and the local taxpayers have to foot the bill (over $1 Million) for many extra safety measures that have to be added to the silent crossing.
The other deterrent is that a crossing involving poor site lines for the train (like the curve of the rails east of Market) and a road that involves a hill near the crossing, plus adjacent high pedestrian traffic or attractions such as convenience stores, schools and pizza stores are all the perfect combination of ingredients that prevent Market Street from being a candidate for Whistle Cessation.
All in all, I appreciated the information that Salar from CN was able to share. This was an informative meeting and for the folks who do occasionally ask about the whistle, I can honestly tell you (as someone who has lived near those tracks for 59 years) you do reach a point where you don’t even notice it anymore. 
#goodroads2025
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