Canada's auditor general says there is significant need for improvement in a number of government agencies, including Transport Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Canada Border Services Agency.
Michael Ferguson points to recent events like the Lac-Megantic disaster and the XL Foods beef recall.
He also says Transport Canada fails to demand internal risk assessments from railway companies.
For many who have been impacted by train crashes, the auditor's report wasn't surprising.
Sharon Jobson lost her son John two-and-a-half years ago in a tragic train crash.
She's been lobbying for improved safety at crossings and has long said that safety inspections have been lax.
But until Tuesday, she didn't have a government officer backing her claims.
When John's pickup collided with a west bound VIA Rail train, the stop sign was below regular height standards with irregular signage and partially covered.
"That site had been inspected recently and the sign was too low. It was covered with weeds there was a stop sign with a number 2 sign cutting through it, it was inspected and yet it was way below where it should have been," says Jobson.
CN Rail wasn't cited for these issues.
Ferguson found that many inspections just aren't up to par, while Transport Canada has identified which skills its inspectors should have, it hasn't determined if its current inspecting staff has them.
"I do think they need to do a lot more, I do," says Jobson
The auditor general also found that while Transport Canada has been talking with stakeholders for over 20 years, there's a long range of important safety issues that haven't been fully addressed.
Such things like double track crossings that don't have lights or gates.
It's what Jobson has been lobbying tirelessly for with limited success.
"If we have more deaths at crossings then I think they'll do more," adds Jobson.
