Category Archives for "Intercity Rail and Bus"

All-Party Rural and Northern Ontario Transportation Committee

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Northern Ontario , Press Releases and Open Letters

On November 28, 2013, Bill Walker, MPP Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, presented a resolution at Queen’s Park to immediately strike a Rural and Northern Transportation  Committee to study transportation needs in these regions.    Transport Action Ontario was very pleased to see that all parties in the Legislature supported this resolution.

In January, 2014, Transport Action Ontario wrote to Mr. Walker offering congratulations, describing our organization, and providing some preliminary comments on one of our projects  (North Main Line).  We asked to be given the opportunity to speak to this committee.

Our letter can be viewed here:  TAO-letter-Bill Walker

Fixing Canada’s Ailing Rail System: Op-Ed Article

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus

Greg Gormick is a long-time Toronto transportation writer and advisor, who has been a colleague and often a consultant to Transport Action.  He has written a thought provoking  op-ed article entitled “Fixing Canada’s Ailing Rail System”.   The article was originally published in the Toronto Star on January 26, 2014, and was subsequently picked up by other major newspapers across Canada.

The article discusses four major concerns with Canada’s once proud and efficient rail system: safety breaches, line abandonment, angry shippers and the deterioration of VIA Rail.   It points to a solution involving more public investment and increased oversight, as was done in the USA.  It notes that the first step is a long-overdue public debate leading to a national rail policy.  Finally, it urges federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt to let the debate – and the rail recovery – begin.

The full article can be read here:  TorontoStar Railway Crisis 2014-01-26

Revitalizing New Brunswick’s Rail Sector

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Major Reports

Transport Action Atlantic has released its long-awaited report entitled “Revitalizing New Brunswick’s Rail Sector”, by Greg Gormick.  The report was funded by 5 municipalities in New Brunswick and one business agency.

The report covers three items

• Steps to take with regards to CN’s proposed abandonment of the Moncton-Belledune section of its Newcastle Subdivision
• Steps to undo the damage done by VIA’s halving of the frequency of the Ocean
• Steps to support the expected revival of Industrial Rail Services

The executive summary can be viewed here.

The full report can be viewed here.

The report conclusions and recommendations can be viewed here.

Southwest Economic Alliance – Presentation on Passenger Rail

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus

The Southwest Economic Alliance (SWEA) is an association of municipalities, businesses and other stakeholders in Southwestern Ontario striving to improve economic activity.  SWEA has recognized that the region is losing its passenger transportation capacity at an alarming rate, including cutbacks in VIA Rail services.  SWEA is launching an advocacy campaign to spur planning and reinvestment in passenger transportation across the region.

SWEA held a Passenger Transportation Summit in London, ON on November 14.   Transport Action Ontario presented a paper entitled “Improving Inter-Urban Passenger Rail in Ontario”.

The paper can be viewed here: TAO-SWEApresentation 2013-11-14

National Railway Day – November 7

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Press Releases and Open Letters

Transport Action Ontario issued a media advisory to mark the occasion of National Railway Day on November 7.

The  advisory can be viewed here:  TAO National Railway Day Advisory 131104