VIA High Frequency Rail Project

[jiml]

Critics suggest that this project could undermine funding for VIA:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/rail-toronto-quebec-via-1.7463323

 

[railiner]

Critics suggest that this project could undermine funding for VIA:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/rail-toronto-quebec-via-1.7463323

So if I understand this correctly, they are saying that only 10% of ridership on VIA Rail comes from outside their “corridor routes”, but 20% of their revenue does. That seems to contradict their assertion that taking the corridor away from VIA Rail would hurt the non-corridor routes. It would seem it’s the other way around, wouldn’t it?
Not sure.

 

[jiml]

The latest wrinkle in this story, as pointed out in other rail forums, is that the government's contribution to this project has yet to be funded, leaving them access to only a small percentage that was allocated to the study in a previous budget. Canada's parliament is not currently sitting and would need to do so in order to pass funding legislation. The Prime Minister cannot authorize this kind of money on his own via "executive order" or similar - especially with less than a month remaining in his mandate. According to an editorial piece in the National Post (sorry, pay-walled) it will be up to his successor as Liberal leader to decide whether to "feed the white elephant" by making it part of their election platform or "euthanize it" before an election is held. It is unclear how many of Mr. Trudeau's potential replacements favor going ahead. Supporters of the project have already voiced their opinions on how to vote to ensure the momentum continues.