Ideas in Motion 2019 – Policy Support for Intercity Rail
By Transport Action | 2019 Election , Ideas in Motion , Intercity Rail and Bus , Policy Briefings
A robust nationwide passenger rail network is important to our country, offering economic opportunity, tourism stimulus, an
alternative to congested highways, and climate change mitigation. Passenger demand for rail travel is rising, and VIA Rail Canada’s
fortunes are improving. Passenger revenues are up and new rolling stock has been approved for the Windsor-Quebec City corridor.
A Government decision on VIA’s High Frequency Rail proposal is expected soon. However, significant challenges remain, particularly
to long-distance services in the Maritimes and western Canada, where neither the need for essential transportation service nor
demand for an internationally competitive travel network and is being met. This largely stems from VIA Rail’s reliance on track
owned by Canada’s freight railways, which prioritize freight movements over passengers, limit service frequencies, and cause delays.
