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Image: Transport Action Canada | CC BY-ND 4.0
The reliability of the $1bn Siemens Venture train fleet and the restrictions placed upon their operation by CN are two of the most pressing concerns currently facing VIA Rail, and on February 12, 2026 Transport Action Canada board members Harry Gow, David Jeanes, and Terence Johnson met with House of Commons Transportation Committee Vice-Chair and Bloc Québécois Transport Critic Xavier Barsalou-Duval MP to discuss both VIA Rail and the Alto High Speed Rail project.
The speed restrictions placed the Venture trains at many grade crossing in the Quebec-Windfsor corridor, leading to network-wide delays, were a key subject of discussion. Transport Action noted that although the restrictions have now been somewhat moderated by CN, they remain highly disruptive, and Transport Canada lacks the regulatory tools to challenge an assertion by a host railway that measures are safety-related and necessary. Both Siemens and ElectroLogIXS controllers are proven systems that are widely used globally, so CN’s apparent challenges with them in the corridor merit further technical and regulatory scrutiny.
More generally, the number of high-risk grade crossings was noted, with a need for an increase in Rail Safety Improvement Plan funding to provide bridges at crossings where road traffic is significant.
The unreliability the VIA Rail has experienced with the new Venture trains is subject to study by the House of Commons Transportation Committee, and we were able to discuss some of the known failure modes and shortcomings in winter operation including snow ingestion, and year-round challenges with onboard systems. Transport Action’s letter to Siemens Mobility Canada requesting information on efforts to address these issues has also been shared with the committee.
Transport Action hopes that lessons learned with the new corridor fleet are applied to the long distance fleet procurement, for which the contract award is expected early this year. Our position is that backup power and working toilets are crucial to ensuring safety until relief can be provided, which in extreme conditions could foreseeably be more than 24 hours for remote services or the Churchill route.
Station locations in Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec city for Alto were discussed, with ease of transfer between Alto and other services even in a wheelchair or with heavy luggage being vital. Xavier Barsalou-Duval noted that the idea of using the former Ottawa Union Station would be highly attractive to passengers coming from Quebec to Ottawa, and could also allow the proposed Gatineau tramway to connect directly to Alto. Due to developments since the closure of the station, the tracks would now have to run underground from a location near Hurdman, but with Montreal-Ottawa and Toronto-Ottawa being potentially stronger travel markets than Montreal-Toronto, the extra few minutes travel time to reach the downtown station may be a reasonable trade-off.
Similarly, serving the Gare du Palais in Quebec City and its associated motorcoach terminal for onward connection was felt to be important by all, with Transport Action’s position being that this should be combined with a shoulder station near the airport to serve passengers from Levis and the western suburbs.
Strengthening VIA Rail services alongside development of Alto is particularly important to residents of Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères and rest of the south shore, including following through on the long promised Drummondville Hub. The plan, first promoted in 2015 alongside High Frequency Rail, would provide better morning and evening connections to Quebec City and Montreal. Stabling a train overnight at Drummondville, combined with activating third and fourth platform at the Gare du Palais, could provide sufficient capacity for both conventional and high-speed services.
The provision of border clearance facilities in Montreal and Windsor for Amtrak passengers was discussed, with Transport Action’s position being that these are investments for the long term that should not be deferred by short-term political considerations.
The House of Commons Transportation Committee had invited VIA Rail executives to testify on February 11, following the service disruptions over the winter, also inviting the Coalition des Gaspésiens pour le retour du train to present the case for restoration of service. That hearing and all Parliamentary business that day was postponed due to the tragedy in Tumbler Ridge, BC and the hearing is expected to be rescheduled for a date in March.