The Government of Ontario and the Federal Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities have recently made headlines regarding announcements and discussions held on the topic of passenger rail in Northern Ontario. In March, the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission purchased 205 kilometres of track between North Bay and Washago. The public now owns this strategic … Continue reading Trust in trains, government institutions requires public oversight
North Bay
La transparence, un élément essentiel pour préserver la confiance dans nos institutions et nos trains
Le gouvernement de l’Ontario et le Comité permanent des transports, de l’infrastructure et des collectivités ont récemment fait les manchettes par rapport à des annonces et des discussions entourant les trains de passagers dans le Nord de l’Ontario. En début mars, la Commission de transport Ontario Northland a acheté 205 kilomètres de voie ferrée entre … Continue reading La transparence, un élément essentiel pour préserver la confiance dans nos institutions et nos trains
Success or failure depends how the Northlander is reintroduced
Psst. Have you heard the latest news about the Northlander? The Government of Ontario says it’s bringing it back in 2026. No gimmicks. No more of the same old song and dance. Sometime this year, Ontario Northland will reinstate passenger rail service between Timmins and Toronto. The return of this train has been one of … Continue reading Success or failure depends how the Northlander is reintroduced
Train service interruptions and delays create a climate of uncertainty
It’s been said that in life, there are three constants: job insecurity, taxes, and governments’ inability to provide or reinstate passenger rail in Northern Ontario within a timely manner. Procrastinating politicians, routine cancellations, and the use of rolling stock well past its best before date are just some of the issues that continue to inconvenience … Continue reading Train service interruptions and delays create a climate of uncertainty
Will transportation woes ever be fixed in Canada and Ontario?
Recent developments are a mixed bag for travellers The American industrialist and business magnate Henry Ford once responded “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do” when asked about his professional achievements. It's a fitting analogy to describe how Parliament Hill and Queen's Park continue to sputter when attempting to run, … Continue reading Will transportation woes ever be fixed in Canada and Ontario?
Federally funded trains increasingly unreliable in Northern Ontario
[ The Canadian ] Ever been stood up one too many times by a friend or a date? Feel like they’re just not getting the message that your needs aren’t being met? This regrettably summarizes the experience of travelling aboard VIA Rail in Northern Ontario. Between closed stations, chronically late trains and nearly no integration … Continue reading Federally funded trains increasingly unreliable in Northern Ontario
Political tango on passenger rail
Province's plan remains short on critical details Former U.S. president Ronald Reagan once said: “If politics were a musical, it would be Promises, Promises”. When you consider how often the Ford government has pledged to bring back the Northlander passenger train, it's kind of astounding a Broadway musical marking its imminent return to service hasn’t … Continue reading Political tango on passenger rail
Northlander train set order: A time to celebrate or remain vigilant?
The Government of Ontario may have finally taken its first real tangible step forward to make passenger rail service in the northeast a reality. The Associate Minister of Transportation, Stan Cho, and his ministerial colleagues — Victor Fedeli (MPP for Nipissing), George Pirie (Timmins) and Graydon Smith (Parry Sound-Muskoka) — were among those who announced … Continue reading Northlander train set order: A time to celebrate or remain vigilant?
ONTC, VIA neglecting Northerners
[ White River VIA Station platform, 2021 ] "Connecting the North", "A more humane way to travel" and "Love the Way" are just some of the marketing catch phrases used by Ontario Northland and VIA Rail Canada to attract and entice customers. Whether by bus, train or a combination of the two modes, these publicly … Continue reading ONTC, VIA neglecting Northerners
Smoke and mirrors checking the choo-choo tracks
There was a lot of hype and publicity surrounding Ontario Northland's most recent test train to measure transit times between North Bay and Toronto. For the first time in nine years, a passenger train operated on this route with the purpose of collecting data to support the ONR's latest business case for reintroducing passenger rail … Continue reading Smoke and mirrors checking the choo-choo tracks
