By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News
In anticipation of the upcoming Ontario provincial election in June, 2022, Transport Action Ontario has issued a briefing note on an important transportation-related issue that has not currently received the visibility it warrants. This issue is the Preservation and Revitalization of Ontario’s Short Line Railways.
The briefing note can be viewed below:
By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News
With the conclusion of the COP26 conference, the issue of Canada’s Greenhouse Gas transportation emissions, from both personal and freight transportation, is front-and-centre. Transport Action Ontario has written a letter to the federal government discussing the alternative of truck/train intermodal freight versus continued highway expansion, and the need for federal involvement in what is largely private enterprise.
We felt that policy-driven publicly-funded incentives to build and expand state-of-the-art intermodal services in the Windsor-Quebec corridor are needed.
Our letter can be viewed below.
By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News , Southwestern Ontario
With the Southwestern Ontario Transportation Task Force about to wrap up its work, Transport Action (TAO) has made a final submission. This is an update to our earlier briefing note (February, 2021) outlining the opportunities and needs to improve passenger rail in the region. Our new submission covered three areas:
Federal Announcement in July, committing the government to enhance and modernize intercity passenger rail in the region, working collaboratively with the Province.
Introduction of GO Transit service to London, by extending its Kitchener service. In our view, this development dramatically changes the playing field. It is increasingly difficult to justify two agencies attempting to share that corridor with similar stopping patterns. TAO recommends a transition to a clear separation of roles, with GO Transit assuming full responsibility for the London-Kitchener-Toronto route, while VIA Rail retains full and exclusive responsibility for delivering and enhancing service west of London and on the Brantford route.
Updated Recommendations on Rail Infrastructure Improvements. During the summer, TAO consulted with VIA Rail, CN, OWS Rail and other industry sources to upgrade our list of needed rail investments. We recommended short-term items, medium-term items for capacity and speed improvements, cross-border items and longer-term items.
Our full submission can be viewed below.
By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News , Northern Ontario
Transport Action Ontario has written a letter to Ontario Minister of Transportation Mulroney expressing our concern with delays to reinstating passenger train service between Toronto and Northeastern Ontario.
The speedy introduction of GO Train service to London shows that the Ontario government can move quickly if there is political will. It is therefore unacceptable that service to Northeastern Ontario remains mired in studies, especially as the rail infrastructure is reportedly in good repair, track capacity should be good and temporary rolling stock is likely available.
We believe this is a matter of transportation equity for Northerners. There are also tourism, economic and environmental benefits.
Our letter can be viewed below.
By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News
Transport Action Ontario was a co-presenter, along with the Michigan Association of Railway Passengers, of a paper at the Rail Users’ Network virtual mini-conference on October 15, 2021. The conference theme was “You can’t get there from here”. The paper discusses the promise and challenge of restoring passenger train service connecting Chicago-Detroit-Toronto. The presentation can be viewed below.