The right idea

[battalion51]

GO Transit to get $1.2 billion boost
TORONTO, Ontario – GO Transit will receive $1.2 billion over five years to improve and extend rail service throughout the GTA and southern Ontario and allow it to serve 40 per cent more commuters by 2008. The improvements will stretch from Hamilton to Oshawa and from Peterborough to Barrie.

The funding will be shared by the federal government, the provincial government, and municipalities and has been in the works for three years.

The new Peterborough and Barrie links are key to the plan, which the federal government also hopes will take some of the pressure off the overtaxed 401-400 highway system. Service also will be doubled from Union Station to Markham, Stouffville, and Richmond Hill and be increased to Brampton and Georgetown.

It will also allow full-day VIA Rail service from Union Station to Hamilton, expanding upon the morning and evening service now available.

I just read this on the Trains.com newswire. One reigonal commuter system is going to recieve more funding than Amtrak?!? Wake up Congress and Bush, if you can afford $75 billion for a war, airlines, and homeland security, you can afford an extra billion for Amtrak.

 

[AlanB]

Well the article doesn't say if that 1.2 B is US dollars or Canadian. If it's Canadian, then the number isn't quite as dramatic. Thanks to the exchange rate 1.2B Canadian is only about 720 Million US.

Of course that's still more than Amtrak got last fiscal year. Plus it still does show the disparity of how badly the US lags behind the rest of the world in funding it's trains.

 

[tp49]

I think it is something in the neighborhood of $200 + million a year for five years, not 1.2 billion a year for 5 years. Also, I am pretty sure it would be in Canadian dollars.

 

[AlanB]

I think it is something in the neighborhood of $200 + million a year for five years, not 1.2 billion a year for 5 years. Also, I am pretty sure it would be in Canadian dollars.

Oops, you're quite right TP49. I totally missed the fact that it was spread over a 5 year period. That plus the exchange rate means that there is no real comparison to Amtrak's budget.

 

[ltdoyle56]

Gentalmen I am very interested by this development. I am a Canadain living in the southern part of Ontario. This addition is among many to the Canadain rail transportation system. the Canadian Gov has spent over 30 million in upgrages to Toronto Union Station and has funded many track and equipment updates modernisation and alowed for the purchase of their new equipment. though the fact the US dollar is valued higher in many ways it usually buys less in the US. the cost of building and upgrading the curennt infurstructure will in Canadian dollars be almost equal to that of the US.

Also the3 governments will not be as resistant to the the work or as demanding in the buracratic red tape. I am happy to hear this and it will be a great asset to the comuter rail service in Ontartio

 

[sutton8596]

I'm looking forward to a trip on the Canadian this summer. One thought: Canada wisely may invest in its infrastructure because the government isn't funding endless wars.

 

[AlanB]

Actually it’s simply the fact that Canadian politicians finally wised up and realized that rail is a needed and valuable tool for moving people and goods. For years VIA languished much like Amtrak has, with minimal funding and support.

Then finally Canada, unlike the US, woke up to the reality that we couldn’t keep building roads to solve traffic problems. Here in the US our politicians at the Federal level still haven't learned that lesson. At the State and local levels we have by and large learned that lesson.

Should Canada be spending even more than they do right now? Probably, but they are kicking our butts when it comes to spending money on rail at the Federal level.