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| London Mayor Joe Fontana and the working group of Southwestern Ontario mayors and wardens crafted a resolution calling on Via Rail to maintain and improve rail service and frequency across Canada. Photo: London Community News |
Transport Action's National Dream Renewed team is working with the mayors. The organization is urging municipal councils across the country to adopt the resolution.
Whereas VIA Rail on June
27, 2012 announced significant reductions in passenger rail service across
Canada;
WHEREAS beginning
in November 2012 VIA is reducing its service from 3 round trips per week to 2
round trips during off-peak season in The Canadian Corridor (Toronto-Vancouver);
and
WHEREAS beginning
in November 2012 VIA is reducing
its service by half from 6 round trips per week to three round trips in The
Ocean Corridor (Montreal-Halifax); and
WHEREAS effective
July 2012, VIA significantly reduced its service in the
Toronto-London-Sarnia-Windsor Corridor with further cuts expected in October
2012; and
WHEREAS many
communities in Canada have been trying to increase VIA service and improve
scheduling to meet the economic development needs of their regions; and
Whereas the Government
of Canada has spent just under $1 billion dollars since 2007 to lay new track,
revamp locomotives, improve passenger cars and renovate stations; and
Whereas VIA Rail’s mandate is to provide safe, efficient, more environmentally
sustainable and cost effective passenger transportation; and
Whereas a passenger rail
network is an integral and vital part of Canada’s national transportation
infrastructure and is vital to economic prosperity; and
WHEREAS
communities, residents and businesses rely on timely, convenient rail links to other
cities and other corridor communities;
Therefore Be it resolved that the
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) call on VIA Rail to maintain and
improve rail service and frequency across Canada; and
Be it further resolved that FCM
strike a working group comprised of representatives from across Canada to work
with VIA to explore their needs for efficiency while ensuring that communities
across Canada have access to a reliable, timely and affordable passenger rail
service; and
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that given the urgency of this issue, its national scope and potential
impact on the local economies of municipalities across Canada, that this issue
be included in FCM’s messaging during advocacy days and with respect to
national transportation infrastructure; and
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that FCM work with the federal government to ensure that as a
principle going forward that federal departments or Crown corporations should
consult FCM on major service changes that could affect its members; and
Be it further resolved that this
resolution be sent to VIA Rail, the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and
Communities, the Minister of State (Transport), the Minister of Industry,
Provincial Ministers of Transportation, and other VIA communities.
More information is available in an August 31 report from London Community News.
More information is available in an August 31 report from London Community News.