After some poking around in a rabbit hole, here is an Update - a little scanning of old ML Board Meeting minutes reveals that
CN and ML signed
an agreement in principle to pursue the ill-fated freight bypass in August 2016
In 2017-2018, ML made a lot of noise about its ongoing negotiations with CN for the Bypass, and did a lot of study, One media report
here.
In March 2019, Phil Verster held a
town hall in Kitchener in which he reported positive progress in negotiations with CN
In November 2019, ML approved
a new IBC for the project, which declared a preference for a negotiated upgrade of the Halton Sub in preference to the Bypass. There was a fair bit of local press referring to such negotiations eg
here.
In September 2020, Verster's success in negotiations with CP/CN
was cited in justifying a raise in his salary.
In March 2021, ML released a
second IBC dealing with the Silver Flyover.
And here we sit, in 2024.
While some work seems to be starting to add a third track through Brampton, I am not aware of any formal announcement of actual agreements being reached with CN about this, or about improvements in the Norval-Silver section of the route.
Those who do not study history are doomed to wait for a train that has yet to arrive.
- Paul