OTTAWA, March 31, 2025 – The new Administrator of Ship and Rail Compensation Canada, Caroline Healey, has taken office today and will start her five-year term.

Caroline will succeed Mark A.M. Gauthier, who has served as Administrator since April 2023 following five years of service as Deputy Administrator.

With a strong background in the transportation sector, Caroline Healey brings extensive leadership experience to her new role and a deep understanding of the Canadian liability and compensation regime. For example, as Executive Vice President and General Counsel at the Railway Association of Canada, she had previously worked with Ship and Rail Compensation Canada’s Rail Fund, advancing key issues such as the transition of claims and preparedness.

Moving forward, she aims to build on the progress made under her predecessor, ensuring efficient compensation for individuals and communities affected by oil spills from ships or boats and by major railway accidents involving crude oil.

Statement from the Administrator

"I am honored to step into this new role and grateful to my predecessor, Mark A.M. Gauthier, for his dedicated leadership. Moving forward, I will continue to improve access to justice and enhance our preparedness, to ensure those impacted receive the compensation they deserve. Our commitment remains clear: to deliver fair and timely compensation while removing the financial burden on taxpayers."

About Caroline Healey

Caroline Healey has been the Administrator of Ship and Rail Compensation Canada since March 2025. She was appointed for a five-year term.

She holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) in North American common law from the Université de Montréal, a graduate certificate in Chinese law from the China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing, as well as an MBA and a Bachelor of Civil Law (LL.B.) from Université Laval.

With 20 years of experience in the transportation industry, her career includes senior leadership roles at VIA Rail, the Railway Association of Canada (RAC), and Genesee & Wyoming, the largest operator of shortline railroads in Canada, the United States, and globally. She has held various management positions in legal and regulatory affairs, risk management, and government and external relations.

Caroline has also worked as a lawyer at several major national law firms specializing in corporate, commercial, and transportation law. She is a certified commercial arbitrator and previously served as Director of Legal Services at the International Air Transport Association. Additionally, she worked at Bombardier Aerospace, a leading aircraft manufacturer, where she negotiated large-scale procurement transactions.

She serves on multiple boards of directors and is actively involved in numerous charitable and community organizations.

More about the Administrator’s role

As Administrator, Caroline will oversee the assessment of claims and issue compensation decisions, ensuring that payments to Canadians are made fairly, efficiently, and on time. The Ship Fund and the Rail Fund are administrative tribunals governed by federal legislation. This means that when she makes a decision about a claim, she acts like a court and publishes her decisions.

Her role also includes strengthening the organization’s capacity to manage a high volume of claims in response to oil spills from ships or boats or major rail accidents involving crude oil. She will also lead efforts to uphold the polluter pays principle by holding polluting shipowners accountable. Leading a team of over 30 employees, consultants and students, she will guide the strategic direction of the organization while ensuring its effective administration.

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 or by major rail 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 managing two Funds: the Ship Fund and the Rail Fund. It is managed by an Administrator, with each Fund also having a Deputy Administrator.

For more information or to file a claim, visit ship-rail.gc.ca.

Contact
Jannie Bédard Guillemette
Communications Manager
343-644-5865
j.bg@sr-nr.gc.ca

More information

Ship and Rail Compensation Canada Announces the Appointment of a New Administrator