Transport Action disappointed with VIA Rail plan

Passenger rail should serve all
communities on mainlines. 

"Via Rail Canada offered a disappointing vision at today's meeting. VIA Rail should be expanded to provide rail passenger service to all communities that are on mainlines," David Jeanes, the National President of Transport Action Canada said.

"Efficient passenger rail service, where track infrastructure exists, is proven to provide passenger service at the lowest possible level of public subsidy when all costs, including infrastructure, are taken into account." Dan Hammond from Transport Action Ontario said. "VIA Rail Canada only provides such service in limited areas of Canada. In most parts of the country VIA does not run trains frequently enough to meet the needs of many potential travelers."

No cuts were announced at the meeting. 

Transport Action is advocating that the Government of Canada provide the required investment and legislative framework to transform VIA Rail Canada into a national network  for our communities  so that rail passenger service will become a sustainable and economical alternative for Canadians. Transport Action Canada, along with it's regional associations Transport Action Atlantic, Transport Action Ontario, Transport Action Prairie and Transport Action BC and  affiliates including Transport 2000 Québec and Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains support the proposal. 

Updates: May 30

No answers at VIA rail meeting

Transportation watchdog to cover Via Rail cuts today

David Jeanes, National President
Transport Action. 

Transport Action will closely monitor the Via Rail Annual Public Meeting today.

Via Rail will be holding its:  

Annual Public Meeting 

May 29, 2012, at 13:00 (local time)

Union Station, 

123 Main Street,
Winnipeg, Manitoba,  R3C 1A3. 

Public information suggests the national passenger railway will announce service cuts today. Transport Action Canada will be represented on site. The national advocacy group plans to issue a news release shortly after Via Rail's plans are spelled out.

* See updates to this story at http://is.gd/fKL8pr

Spokespersons from Transport Action and affiliates will be available for reaction including:

More passenger rail service cuts, information en temps réel

Bill Ackman and Hunter Harrsion are the new bosses
at Canadian Pacific Railway. Farmers, shippers and
employees (including management)  are sounding
the alarm. (Toronto Star photo)

News about TransLink sell-off, STM usagers, Minster should keep her nose out of CP railway strike, Keep the ONTC public, Aviation safety, Building rural transit et plus in this week's Transport Action Hotline.

Transport Action red alert, Via Rail cuts,  Winnipeg, May 29

Via Rail is expected to announce a series of foolish cuts at its Annual Public Meeting on May 29, 2012, at 13:00 local time at Winnipeg’s Union Station, 123 Main Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 1A3. On May 17 Via Rail reported: "This forum provides an opportunity to learn more about VIA Rail Canada’s business, to be informed as to the latest financial results and speak directly with members of the Board of Directors and Senior Management Team of the corporation. Members of the public are invited to attend. Please register in advance by e-mail at monik_joubert@viarail.ca or by phone at 514 871-6613. You may also participate via a live webcast available on VIA’s website."

May 28 note:

- the Via Rail cuts report is not based on inside information

- A read of the stories below can come to few other conclusions

Via Rail annoncera bientôt les réductions de service découlant du budget fédéral

Transport Action Canada: Hotline 1164, May 5, 2012

Blue Sky Workshop on the Future of VIA Rail, May 26

Transport Action members
are developing a blueprint
for a best case
plan for Via Rail.

Since its inception as a Crown corporation in 1977, VIA Rail Canada  has lived a fragile life, buffeted by politics, bureaucracy, hostile competitors and unwelcoming host railways.

Today, armed with nearly $1 billion in fresh capital funding from the current government, it would appear that VIA is finally poised for a new era of growth and stability.  But those same antagonistic forces that have conspired against our national passenger system are gathering steam in their crusade to stop VIA dead in its tracks.

Blue Sky Workshop on the Future of VIA Rail 
Saturday, May 26, 2012  
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Location: Room 484, Jorgenson Hall, 
Ryerson University, 300 Victoria Street, Toronto

Transit needs a basket of revenue generating tools

Paul Bedford told the forum
"vision without implementation
is hallucination."
(Toronto Star photo)

“Most participants at a public forum on transportation and transit said they would be willing to pay more – at least  $2 a day - for access to a world class transportation service,” said Peter Miasek, President of Transport Action Ontario.

The forum, held at the Markham Civic Centre on May 12 was organized by five grassroots groups to review potential funding tools for ambitious transportation plans in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area (GTHA)

The event, attended by more than 150 participants, included resident group leaders, elected officials, transportation experts and the general public from across the GTHA. Participants  were able  to vote on their preferences using handheld electronic devices and pose questions to a six person panel including University of Toronto professors Eric Miller and Matti Siemiatycki, planner Paul Bedford, Metrolinx’ John Howe, Toronto Board of Trade’s Richard Joy and Markham’s Director of Engineering Alan Brown.

Metrolinx VP John Howe said, “What's holding us back from being one of the world's truly great regions is underinvestment in transit”. The Big Move plan will cost $50 billion over 25 years and is only 20% funded. Richard Joy noted that the pro-business Board of Trade has been advocating for new funding tools for over two years.  Professor Siemiatycki outlined various funding tool options and examined some of the experiences of other metropolitan areas. He pointed to Los Angeles. and Vancouver as good examples to follow. He felt the GTHA needs a basket of revenue generating tools including general taxes and user fees.

Culture of fear spurs union drive at Canadian Pacific Railway

The IBEW is inviting CP management
to protect themselves by joining
the union.

On May 17 Canadian Pacific Railway's CEO and six board members stepped down opening the door for wholesale change. For many workers  there is concern the corporation will install former CN boss Hunter Harrison as the new Chief Executive Officer and with him the "culture of fear" that once reigned over CN. This fear was voiced by the outgoing management and is at the root of a new union organizing drive at the railway.

On May 8 the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers reported it 'has been approached by a number of CP managers who expressed their disappointment and frustration in dealing with CP.  Certainly the economy has not been great, and business may have suffered, however it is unfair that CP has not recognized the hard work and effort put forward by CP management personnel. It has been very difficult to accept minimal to zero pay increases over the last two years.  It is even more difficult to accept that there has been no bonus pay in recognition of hard work.  The fact is there does not appear to be a light at the end of the tunnel.  A new CEO will not magically create a new environment in which salaries can be increased.  The reality is that change will occur.

ONR and road safety facts, Bikeway principles

A new bridge will help Kamploopsians get together.

Kamloops reconnects, Road safety? Ontario Northland subsidy 23 cents more per passenger than GO Train, Costs of going underground. Inter-city bus service returns to NB and PEI and more in today Transport Action Hotline.

Transport Action Atlantic, Bus service and seniors housing among top issues in St. Andrews

"Voters in Charlotte County's shiretown say bus services, housing for seniors and employment for young people are issues that need to be addressed. "They (councillors) don't think of people who don't have wheels," resident Mike Perry said. "They can't conceive of it. They should." Charlotte County needs something better than bus connections three days a week, said Perry, a member of Transport Action Atlantic," Derwin Gowan wrote for the Telegraph-Journal on May 12.

"Charlotte County communities should subsidize a daily local bus that would allow people without cars to attend events at the civic centre under construction in St. Stephen, meet the Grand Manan Ferry at Blacks Harbour or commute to work in Saint John, he suggested. Many young people cannot afford to drive, while seniors avoid driving on the highway, he said, adding that seniors' housing is another major issue," the Telegraph-Journal reported.

Chris Holloway s’occupera du dossier du train à vapeur, Transport Action

Ottawa symposium on drinking and driving on May 17

Dr. Brian Jonah will
report on the national
plan to reduce
the number of
drunk drivers on
Canadian roads.

J. Goss + Associates will be covering the Centre for Responsible Drinking Symposium. The Centre reports: "There have been many improvements to strengthen the drunk driver system in the past ten years, and new strategies, supported by research, have informed the development of effective policies and practices."

The Centre reports: "Increased coalescence around the need for a comprehensive approach that includes prevention, sanctioning and rehabilitation has emerged across disciplines to create a growing trend in the drunk driver system. As such, this is an important opportunity to take stock of what has been learned from experiences nationally and to leverage the progress that has been achieved to inform our current approach to this problem, and to identify future priorities."

Objectives of the Symposium

Highlight the range of strategies used in Canada to manage drunk driving.
Explore lessons learned from the implementation of a wide range of interventions.
Share experiences drawn from private, public and community approaches to increase awareness of the risks and change driver behaviours.
To identify important priorities moving forward.

Agenda

Canada Road Safety Week, We can do better

A serious effort dedicated to bringing down the
the commercial vehicle kill rate woud help make
our roads less dangerous. 

Canada Road Safety Week runs from May 14 to May 21. Every year the police mark the occasion with increased enforcement, press releases and amusing stories like the one about the driver going 140 km/h while tossing a salad.

The federal government's main contribution is to talk about Canada's plan to make our roads the safest in the world and release its most recent statistics to make the  case.

There is value in road safety week but it masks serious problems. The facts suggest road safety is not a priority for Canadian governments.

Consider the government's Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics. This week, if we are lucky, the feds will release stats for 2010. Why not 2011? Why not real-time?

This "data lag" does a major disservice to those interested in a serious road safety effort. How do we analyze the effect of new safety measures? How can we interest the public when all we have are old numbers. Key elements are missing like the amount of driving done in a year. There is nothing about the 19% of collisions involving big trucks. There are no comparisons to other countries.

Airport links in Montreal, Halifax, Edmonton et Ottawa

Transport Action members mourn the
passing of Keith Knox,
Past President of Transport 2000 Saskatchewan.
(Leader-Post photo) 

Reports on transit funding in Toronto and Montreal. New regulations on bus service in Manitoba. M. Dubé propose une uniformisation de la taxe sur les immatriculations à un niveau de 75 $ par an et plus in this week's Transport Action Hotline.

Hearings explore funding for Montreal-area transit, Transport 2000 

"The Montreal Metropolitan Community, the regional planning body that covers 82 municipalities and 3.7 million residents, calculates $22.9 billion in major transit projects are in the works, but funding is not in place for many of them," the Montreal Gazette reported on May 8. 

"Transport 2000 (is) a transit users’ lobby group. It favours a system similar to that of France, where companies pay a levy to fund transit based on the size of their payrolls. The Conseil régional de l’environnement de Montréal, a coalition of environmental groups. It wants 30 per cent of Quebec’s transport-infrastructure fund to go to transit, up from 18 per cent. At the moment, 82 per cent goes to roadways," Andy Riga wrote for the Montreal Gazette. 

Transport Action, Le train léger et l'Aéroport d'Ottawa 

Consumer protection for wireless customers

Public Interest Advocacy Centre News 

- Airline and bank consumers stiffed

- Cellphone rates in Canada 

- Bell stung by $1.00 payphone backlash

- Fees, services, advertising and on-time performance

- Bell veut augmenter ses tarifs

- 電話亭打電話 貝爾申請漲價一倍

PIAC supports national wireless consumer code 

In a May 4 CRTC submission the Public Interest Advocacy Centre supported a call for a national code to protect wireless consumers. PIAC wants a code that at least meets the provincial consumer protection standards now in place or before legislatures.

Consumer transactions, 60 per cent of Ontario's economy

PIAC's Michael Janigan told the Windsor Star Ontario consumers have substantial legal protection but often lack information and resources to exercise their rights. What's missing is adequate funding to enforce the rules and make consumers more aware. Janigan said: "You can't have a province where you have 60 per cent of the economy based on consumer transactions and have a department with a $45-million budget that deals with consumer services." Ellen Van Wageningen wrote for the Windsor Star on Apr. 23. http://is.gd/yOFpS6

Avoiding smartphone 'bill shock', You can't give all of the responsibility to the consumer 

Via Rail blue sky vision, abandoned railway lines

Transport Action Canada is
concerned about the future
of passenger rail services
in Canada. 

PEI government kills co-op bus service, Ideas to improve the Canadian, Via Rail annoncera bientôt les réductions de service, Moncton Transit hub and more news in this week's Transport Action Canada Hotline.

What is a blue sky vision?

Transport Action Canada is concerned about the future of Via Rail. As reported in the Hotline last week the national group is looking for funds, ideas and volunteers to work on a blue sky vision for Via Rail. http://is.gd/FRYlo6

"Blue Sky is a very old term that has been around for many, many, many years. Blue Sky plans or visions are great to have. They give you an idea of what you would like given the opportunity. It is also important to prioritize these plans or visions. For example a Blue Sky plan for VIA might include restoring the Atlantic, the Canadian to the CP line and service between Calgary and Edmonton. Of these you might place Calgary - Edmonton as the priority," a post to the 1250-member Canadian Passenger Rail Yahoo Group said. http://is.gd/DPJLuW

John Pearce, The problem with VIA Rail service is where it's not

Canada's top amateur pilot 2012

J. Goss + Associates is a
proud supporter of the
Webster Memorial Trophy
Competition.
(Aerographics poster)

J. Goss + Associates is a proud supporter of the Webster Memorial Trophy Competition.

This year the national competition turns eighty. The contest for bragging rights as Canada's top amateur pilot will be held at the Rockcliffe Flying Club in Ottawa on Aug. 15-18, 2012.

The competition is fast becoming an important Canadian event. Over the last few years the field of young pilots has grown from an average of 30-35 to 103 in 2011.

The number of flight schools involved has gone up from ten to about thirty. Aviation community support is up from eight to over thirty and includes CAE, Bombardier and WestJet.  The Webster Memorial Trophy Competition is sponsored by Air Canada.

The deadline for filing an application to compete is June 1.

The application form is at:

Finance Minister will let banks choose the judge

The federal Finance Minister had to
choose between consumers or the banks.
The Minister chose the banks.

Financial Consumers Betrayed by Finance Minister's OBSI Decision

OTTAWA - The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) today condemned the Minister of Finance's assertion made yesterday that the federal government will not require Canada's banks to resolve banking customers' disputes with the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI). Instead the Minister has stated the government will publish rules allowing multiple consumer banking arbitration services - effectively allowing Canadian banks - to choose their own judge.

"The Minister knows regulations can't fix this.  He had to pick between consumers and banks.  He chose the banks," stated John Lawford, counsel for PIAC.