Category Archives for "Southwestern Ontario"

Preserving Canada’s Rail Infrastructure and Providing Short Line Railway Assistance

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News , Major Reports , Northern Ontario , Southwestern Ontario

Transport Action Ontario has sent two recent letters to the Federal Government on Canada’s rail infrastructure.

The first letter (September 8, 2020) discussed an urgent national strategy to preserve rail infrastructure, including financial assistance and a national rail-banking scheme.

The second letter (September 14, 2020) discussed badly-needed financial assistance for short line railways

Both letters can be viewed here.

Submission for Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of Upcoming Federal Budget

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News , Major Reports , Northern Ontario , Southwestern Ontario

Transport Action Canada and its affiliates, including Transport Action Ontario, have prepared a submission to the House of Commons Finance Committee in advance of Federal Budget 2021, titled Railways as the Key to Unlocking Canadian Productivity, Social Inclusion and Climate Change Performance.

We are proposing that a $5B/yr Strategic Rail Infrastructure Fund be created as part of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. We’ve highlighted eight priority rail projects across Canada which could be implemented before the next federal election.

This investment program would go hand-in-hand with a Fair Rail for Passengers Act drawing upon previously debated legislation.

To read the completion submission, use the link below:

https://www.transportaction.ca/national-news/transport-action-calls-for-5bn-strategic-rail-infrastructure-fund-and-fair-rail-for-passengers-act/

Brampton studying Urban Boulevard to replace Highway 413

By Transport Action Ontario | Highways and Bridges , Latest News , Southwestern Ontario

The GTA-West corridor (Highway 413) is a proposed new expressway between Vaughan and Milton. It is currently in the final stages of an Environmental Assessment. Transport Action has been involved with this project since 2009. See our last posting Nov. 12, 2019.

In July, 2020, Brampton Planning and Development Committee unanimously approved a recommendation by city staff to study an urban boulevard in lieu of an expressway in the Heritage Heights area of the City. Transport Action Ontario made a deputation supporting the staff recommendation. It can be viewed below:

Progress Towards a Public Transportation Network in SW Ontario

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News , Southwestern Ontario

The steady startup of community bus services in Southwestern Ontario, funded by the Province under Community Transportation Grants (CTG) is continuing. See our previous post on Rural Transit Renaissance (January 2020) for background. Several of these groups have now taken an important next step, by working together and coordinating their efforts under the banner of Southwest Community Transit Association (SCT), facilitated by the South Central Ontario Region Economic Development Corporation (SCOR EDC).

Transport Action Ontario has written Minister Mulroney congratulating her on the CTG program and its positive fallout. We also urged her to continue to work on other Actions in the province’s draft plan Connecting the Southwest, released in January, 2020 (see our posting January 17, 2020).

Our letter can be viewed below:

All Aboard St. Marys joins Transport Action

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News , Southwestern Ontario

All Board St. Marys (AASM), a non-government organization based in St. Marys, Ontario, informed their members on June 25, 2020 that they intend to merge with Transport Action Ontario. This group has been a strong and vocal advocate for improvement of passenger rail service on the North Main Line between Kitchener and London.

All Aboard St Marys has been very successful in raising awareness of passenger rail with MPs, MPPs and the general public. Use of the train in St. Marys is up 75% over the past decade, and both a wheelchair lift and electric vehicle charger have been installed at the community-managed train station.

AASM has also been instrumental in getting resolutions supporting VIA Rail passed by many Ontario cities and towns, and gathering support from 78 MPs, MPPs, and Senators.

We welcome members of All Aboard St. Marys to the Transport Action family.