The familiar sound of a passenger train can once again be heard in areas of Northern Ontario that are served by VIA Rail Canada. The Crown corporation officially restored passenger rail services to pre-pandemic levels after more than two years of on again, off again, limited or indefinitely suspended train schedules. Life appears to have … Continue reading The politics and precarious nature of travel in the North
White River
The return of passenger rail is moving forward … at a snail’s pace
If a political promise is made in Northern Ontario, but there's nobody around to see it through, does it still mean we get a passenger train back? The provincial government made an announcement regarding the return of passenger rail service between Timmins, North Bay and Toronto. On the surface, this appears to be good news, … Continue reading The return of passenger rail is moving forward … at a snail’s pace
ONTC, VIA neglecting Northerners
Platform at White River Station in 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 owned … Continue reading ONTC, VIA neglecting Northerners
Northern Ontario : More isolated than ever
An open letter to the management and customer relations department of VIA Rail Canada I wanted to provide some feedback regarding the negative impacts I have felt as a result of VIA's decision to reduce passenger train service in Northern Ontario and the need to restore it immediately. Over the last year and half, travellers … Continue reading Northern Ontario : More isolated than ever
Le Nord de l’Ontario : plus isolé que jamais
Une lettre ouverte à l'équipe de gestion et du service à la clientèle de VIA Rail CanadaJe vous fais parvenir mes commentaires entourant l’absence de certaines fréquences de vos trains dans le Nord de l’Ontario et du besoin de les remettre en service immédiatement. Au cours de la dernière année et demie, des voyageurs comme … Continue reading Le Nord de l’Ontario : plus isolé que jamais
Missing the mark on the North’s passenger rail plan
The Ministry of Transportation and Ontario Northland have finally unveiled an Initial Business Case for passenger rail in Northeastern Ontario ... and it's about time the public was provided with an update. It only took a mere three years into the current government's term (and a freedom of information request), but Northerners now have a … Continue reading Missing the mark on the North’s passenger rail plan
Connecting the North : an exercise of consistently getting it wrong
The Ministry of Transportation will be publishing sometime soon the results of a passenger rail survey it conducted in the region. The government claims this is an integral part of the process of keeping people safe, providing reliable transportation options and connecting communities in the North. Politicians of all stripes have long talked a good … Continue reading Connecting the North : an exercise of consistently getting it wrong
Anti-rail report flawed and counterproductive
The Northern Policy Institute (NPI) recently published a report titled "The Thin Case for Passenger Rail in Ontario's Northern Regions" which has left me in a state a profound dismay and disappointment. It contains some very misleading information and does little to improve sustainable transportation options desired by Northerners. The document in question attempts to … Continue reading Anti-rail report flawed and counterproductive
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