OTTAWA, July 9, 2025 – Today marks Caroline Healey's first 100 days in office as the Head of Ship and Rail Compensation Canada and Administrator of the Ship Fund and Rail Fund. In that short period, Caroline focused on understanding the organization’s mandate, assessing current priorities and charting its path forward.
To achieve this, she has actively engaged with key partners and stakeholders, drawing on her team's expertise and her extensive background in transportation law. Key highlights from her first 100 days include:
- Investigating, assessing and rendering decisions on four claims submitted to the Ship Fund, representing $50,959 to be paid to claimants.
- Actively pursuing recovery in 72 cases against polluting ships or boats. Claims range from hundreds to millions of dollars.
- Holding more than 20 meetings with stakeholders and partners across Canada’s marine and railway sectors to listen, learn, and foster collaboration.
- Reinforcing international partnerships, including planning a joint exercise between the Ship Fund and major players of the international liability regime.
- Participating as part of the Canadian delegation in the Meeting of the IOPC Funds’ governing bodies in London (U.K.).
“Reaching the 100-day mark has been an opportunity to reflect on what I’ve learned and where the organization is headed,” said Caroline. “Going forward I want us to play an essential role in supporting communities affected by oil spills from ships or boats and major railway accidents involving crude oil.”
Looking ahead, Caroline is focused on strengthening access to justice for claimants, with a continued emphasis on fair and timely compensation for those impacted. This includes increasing awareness of the available compensation among key stakeholders and strengthening the organization’s capacity to manage a high volume of claims.
In 2024, the Ship Fund and the Rail Fund rebranded and underwent an administrative merger. Caroline intends to build on this foundation by developing a unified strategy for the organization’s two funds under her leadership.
About Ship and Rail Compensation Canada
Ship and Rail Compensation Canada is Canada’s compensation hub for anyone affected by oil spills from ships or boats and by major railway accidents involving crude oil. Its mission is to help victims, responders, and anyone else affected get financial compensation and to remove the burden from taxpayers. Ship and Rail Compensation Canada is an independent federal office, financed by industry, managing two compensation funds: the Ship Fund and the Rail Fund. The Funds are administrative tribunals governed by federal legislation. Ship and Rail Compensation Canada is managed by an Administrator, with each Fund also having a Deputy Administrator.
For more information or to file a claim, visit www.ship-rail.gc.ca.
Contact
Benedikt Henninger
Communications Officer;
343-644-5962
b.henninger@sr-nr.gc.ca
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