Submitted by Lucille Frith, co-chair, Northeastern Ontario Rail Network (NEORN)
Four years ago, soon-to-be-Premier Ford and Minister Vic Fedeli promised to return passenger rail service to Northeastern Ontario before the end of their mandate.
Well, here we are—the election is June 2—and no passenger train! Not even a purchase order for one!
But there is a provincial budget looming…and Sunday’s announcement of $75 million to bring passenger rail service back to Northeastern Ontario will restore a key transportation option for residents, businesses, and visitors.
Corina Moore, president and CEO of Ontario Northland Transportation Commission and her team, working with Metrolinx, have successfully processed the business plan for the return of passenger rail service through a variety of milestones over the past few years. The stage is now set for the spring budget—with the promise of $75 million in the upcoming budget, will a purchase order now be issued for the rolling stock?
While this government’s major investment will not keep the original promise of the return of passenger rail service by the end of their current term, it will enable our government to provide passenger rail service as suggested by Minister Mulroney by mid-2020s. Reality is it takes up to four years to build a train set—engine, passenger cars—rolling stock. It’s not like acquiring materials (gravel and asphalt) to build a bridge or road. We have the (rail) road and now we need the vehicles to carry passengers from Toronto to Northern Ontario on the railroad. The highway for trains. This Ministry of Transportation is not just the Ministry of Roads and
Highways but of transportation.
Premier Ford promised! Minister Fedeli promised!
If all goes well, Minister Mulroney will have funds in the spring budget to acquire the equipment needed to provide passenger train service to Northeastern Ontario. Otherwise, the “mid 2020s” delivery promise won’t be kept. And the promise of 2018 will not be kept!
Voters believe in election promises—or should they?
Sunday’s announcement is promising!
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Lynda Sinclair says
The sooner the better. Hope it actually comes about. As someone who has a yearly medical appointment downtown Toronto, and who cannot bring myself to drive in the city, this would be more than welcome. I’d take full advantage of the service as my family is there as well.
Ralph Cliffe says
It’s just an election gimmick.
Ford knows Muskoka voters will vote “Blue” even if he
lies to them.
Yet when you look at the other two choices??
Gloria C Schimmel says
This is all great: Yes timing pre-election does make me dubious however. I did and would use the train to get to TO or NB or even further. My biggest issues was the train times were absurd and not condusive to business or life in general. On the one occasion, I tried to plan a trip to visit my daughter in Sault Look Out via train and was shortly disabused of the notion.Train schedules are planned for shipping purposes only not for passenger servie and never will be. In time, we will again lose the service due to lack of use as it was planned that way.
robert graziano says
I’ll be dead before the train comes back to Huntsville.