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VIA Rail
- Thread starter ehlow
- Start date
cplchanb
Senior Member
what does that mean? another study or actual design and procurement?
Allandale25
Senior Member
5) The Budget specifically mentions funding for HFR or there's a separate announcement before or after the budget the the HFR funding is part of infrastructure spending. I can even see them asking for some Provincial support or cooperation. A version of the JPO results are released, will sensitive discussions take place with certain land owners and CP Rail and Metrolinx.
6) Funding for HFR is provided for in phases. A certain initial phase just to improve the tracks between Toronto and Peterborough, and do the detailed design between Ottawa and Glen Tay or something like that.
robmausser
Senior Member
I think Via has to still actually purchase the branch from CP too, no?
Allandale25
Senior Member
^ That's one option, yes. Hard to know if they can strike a deal with CP given it's a branchline where they don't need to buy it outright.
robmausser
Senior Member
I'd always leave it to the feds to cock it up, but having CP own the branch is ill advised. Not only do they overcharge up to 800% for work on upgrading rails, the whole plan for HFR is passenger rail priority and eventual electrification, two things that can't happen under a CP ownership.
Allandale25
Senior Member
^ I definitely agree it would be ideal if VIA was able to purchase the Havelock Sub. They also need to figure out how to work with CP Rail or build parallel tracks from just west of Perth to just north of Smiths Falls. The yellow/light blue lines were created by @reaperexpress.
The base map is from here: https://ontariomap.webs.com/
The base map is from here: https://ontariomap.webs.com/
2transpo
New Member
Federal budget proposals focus on health care spending - The Globe and Mail
Recommendations include a call to ‘create a nationalized child-care system or increase funding for child care’ and to consider a universal basic income
www.theglobeandmail.com
Don't count your chickens. There is a good chance that this budget isn't passed and an election is called. Even if it is passed, if an election is called this year, and the Conservatives form the next government (which is possible and maybe even likely especially if opinions swing against the liberals), the project is dead as they will cut spending.
Bottom line, this is far from a done deal. In my opinion, this recommendation brings the likelihood of this being built from 0% to 25%. There are just too many stumbling points ahead.
Edit:
/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/opinion/star-columnists/2021/02/10/trudeaus-strategic-plans-aimed-at-june-election/trudeau.jpg)
Opinion | Trudeau’s strategic plans aimed at June election
Federal Liberal insiders say the prime minister will be ready to take Canadians to the polls following a federal budget and a successful roll out of v...
Last edited:
KevinT
Active Member
I remember thinking that about the last Ontario election. To my surprise, other than in Hamilton, things have carried on pretty well.
roger1818
Active Member
Federal budget proposals focus on health care spending - The Globe and Mail
Recommendations include a call to ‘create a nationalized child-care system or increase funding for child care’ and to consider a universal basic incomewww.theglobeandmail.com
Don't count your chickens. There is a good chance that this budget isn't passed and an election is called. Even if it is passed, if an election is called this year, and the Conservatives form the next government (which is possible and maybe even likely especially if opinions swing against the liberals), the project is dead as they will cut spending.
Bottom line, this is far from a done deal. In my opinion, this recommendation brings the likelihood of this being built from 0% to 25%. There are just too many stumbling points ahead.
Edit:
Opinion | Trudeau’s strategic plans aimed at June election
Federal Liberal insiders say the prime minister will be ready to take Canadians to the polls following a federal budget and a successful roll out of v...www.thestar.com
While I agree we can't count our chickens, it is a step in the right direction. I also wouldn't assume that a Conservative government would cancel HFR. As the article you linked says:
HFR will not only create jobs but it will make VIA more sustainable in the long term, reducing their need for subsidies in the future.
Darwinkgo
Active Member
And probably a cheaper way to establish all day service to Peterborough than trying to force a Go-Line there, a perennial Conservative promise.
2transpo
New Member
I'm surprised people aren't more concerned about the prospect of a Conservative government. The federal party is very different to the provincial party. The last time the Conservatives formed a federal government, the consequences for VIA were horrific. Their answer to cutting subsidies was cutting service (which only caused the opposite).
Also remember that this is an eastern Canada project, so HFR would be a particular target to cut. They would probably shift the money for other projects, likely roads, oil and gas in western Canada.
Also remember that this is an eastern Canada project, so HFR would be a particular target to cut. They would probably shift the money for other projects, likely roads, oil and gas in western Canada.
SFO-YYZ
Active Member
That is a good question. If you look at one of the Amtrak San Joaquins Venture cars, it seems as if the door on one end is for high platforms and the door on the other is for low platforms, but VIA is only having doors at one end of the cars.
As you can see from first picture, the low platform door, seems to have fixed stairs inside the coach and a low gap filler and from the second picture, the high platform door has a gap filler for high platforms. It will be interesting to see what they do for VIA's cars.
Image courtesy EuroCityCard Blog
Photo by Marc Glucksman
Thank you for the explanation!
As a side note, it's amazing how Amtrak can always find a way to make a modern rollingstock look like it's out of the 1980s (stainless steal exterior, colour scheme, etc...)
SFO-YYZ
Active Member
Once again, it's all speculation at this point.
Also, it's not like the Federal Liberals have done a ton for VIA Rail during the last 5 years or the 13+ years they were in power prior to that. In many ways, two sides of the same coin, take your pick.
roger1818
Active Member
While I agree that Erin O’Toole isn't Doug Ford, he isn't Stephen Harper either.