VIA Rail

[reaperexpress]

One thing to consider is having VIA transfer ownership and responsibility of stations that they own outside of the corridor to the local government. Those non-corridor stations are underutilized and the local government is better able to find alternate uses for the station when not needed by VIA.

St Marys VIA station was purchased in the 1980's by the Town of St Marys due to a threat of abandonment and demolition. In 1988 they completed an extensive restoration of the 1907 station building. Thanks to the town's management, the station continues to be staffed despite only having 2 trains per day in each direction, whereas most other minor VIA stations lost their staff in the 2012 cuts. The station building is used as the town's visitor information centre, so the staff doesn't just sell train tickets and assist train travellers, they also provide information and sell stuff to visitors who arrive by car.

 

[crs1026]

I was critical of the lack of detail months ago. Who launches in to a $10B project without a rough timeline?

I could even understand if they came out and said Covid set back the schedule.

It may have done so, in a political sense. The recent Economic update seemed to have three major themes, which may well reflect the government’s preoccupation
- Deal with Covid
- Reassure Canadians that the economy is performing well despite covid
- Keep the money flowing to individuals and target groups

Infrastructure doesn’t fall into any of these. It may not be in the public’s radar screen for a while.

All the same, I would sure like to know what the $492M that was approved inthe last buget is intended for…. numbers like that don’t get in the budget without a specific program statement of some sort.

- Paul

 

[Allandale25]

@Urban Sky, @Allandale25 @kEiThZ

The timing of the RFP is mentioned in an official Press Release, dated July 6th 2021

Link: https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-...kgOAaOJjaA4TK5XBuJrjT3Ho8zLacaw2cEXlHXtwBZQbM

From said release:

View attachment 369453

I don't have the link yet but apparently:

From today's mandate letter to the Minister of Transport... Launch a procurement process and move forward with the High Frequency Rail project in the Toronto to Quebec City corridor using electrified technology, working towards the ultimate goal of extending the high frequency rail project to Southwestern Ontario.

cc @kEiThZ @Urban Sky

 

[Allandale25]

^ Update:

Minister of Transport Mandate Letter

Dear Minister Alghabra: Thank you for continuing to serve Canadians as Minister of Transport. From the beginning of this pandemic, Canadians have faced a once-in-a-century challenge. And through it all, from coast to coast to coast, people have met the moment. When it mattered most, Canadians...

pm.gc.ca

 

[Urban Sky]

^ Update:

Minister of Transport Mandate Letter

Dear Minister Alghabra: Thank you for continuing to serve Canadians as Minister of Transport. From the beginning of this pandemic, Canadians have faced a once-in-a-century challenge. And through it all, from coast to coast to coast, people have met the moment. When it mattered most, Canadians...

pm.gc.ca

There are indeed only two short mentions of HFR in the entire mandate letter:

As Minister of Transport, your immediate priority is to enforce vaccination requirements across the federally-regulated transport sector that are in place and to continue to advance the restart and rebuilding of the commercial air sector. You will also prioritize work to make High Frequency Rail a reality, and to advance measures that support Canada’s transition to net-zero, including accelerating the transition to zero emission vehicles.

To realize these objectives, I ask that you achieve results for Canadians by delivering the following commitments.

[…]

• Launch a procurement process and move forward with the High Frequency Rail project in the Toronto to Quebec City corridor using electrified technology, working towards the ultimate goal of extending the high frequency rail project to Southwestern Ontario.

 

[Allandale25]

^ So, clearly, since launch isn't in past tense the Fall 2021 timeframe was missed.

 

[kEiThZ]

^ So, clearly, since launch isn't in past tense the Fall 2021 timeframe was missed.

I guess the question at this point is how much behind are they?

 

[rbt]

I guess the question at this point is how much behind are they?

Technically it is still Fall 2021 for another 4 days, so they might not be very far behind at all.

 

[robmausser]

Guys they got re-elected early so it doesn't matter anymore!

They will get around to it again....riiiiight around the next election.

 

[nfitz]

They will get around to it again....riiiiight around the next election.

Before the next election? An optimist!

One thing you have to give Ford credit for, is that when he proposed a transportation project ... it happens, like a steamroller passing over a mole hill.

 

[Urban Sky]

Guys they got re-elected early so it doesn't matter anymore!

They will get around to it again....riiiiight around the next election.

That characterization sounds more appropriate for the OLP‘s vanity HSR proposal, which surfaced ahead of one election and had its only sign of progress (the Colenette-Report) published just ahead of the next election.

With the feds, at least there has been a constant stream of money for HFR in the last few federal budgets, not just in election years…

 

[nfitz]

hat characterization sounds more appropriate for the OLP‘s vanity HSR proposal, which surfaced ahead of one election and had its only sign of progress (the Colenette-Report) published just ahead of the next election.

With the feds, at least there has been a constant stream of money for HFR in the last few federal budgets, not just in election years…

Are you forgetting the promises about VIA in the federal 1980 and 1984 elections about high speed rail?

 

[Urban Sky]

Are you forgetting the promises about VIA in the federal 1980 and 1984 elections about high speed rail?

Are you forgetting that there have been 11 federal elections since then?

 

[kEiThZ]

That characterization sounds more appropriate for the OLP‘s vanity HSR proposal, which surfaced ahead of one election and had its only sign of progress (the Colenette-Report) published just ahead of the next election.

With the feds, at least there has been a constant stream of money for HFR in the last few federal budgets, not just in election years…

Yes and no. They've done more work than the OLP ever did on their proposal.

On the other hand, the Trudeau Liberals didn't say much about HFR after the 2015 election, till 2019 (JPO created). And then again in 2021 (Pre-procurement). So there's naturally a bit of suspicion that they could be stringing us along. Just wish they were a tad more transparent on where things stand.

All that said, I will concede that beyond railfans, not a lot of people care that much about VIA development. So it could be why, the government is less forthcoming, than on other initiatives.

 

[crs1026]

^ I have to assume that the JPO has not stood down and remains a real (if virtual) task group with people doing actual work.

While I have certainly seen bureaucracies maintain activity (and charge to accounts) without any real output or goal, I think we would have heard if the project has been shrink-wrapped, or if JPO staff had been diverted to other tasks.

But yeah, one would like some proof that time isn't being wasted, or that the project isn't drifting..

- Paul