MisterF
Senior Member
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/293107
Onboard for high-speed line
Quebec City-Windsor rail link resurrected by McGuinty, Charest
Jan 11, 2008 04:30 AM
bruce campion-smith
Ottawa bureau chief
OTTAWA–After decades of study and debate, the premiers of Ontario and Quebec now say a high-speed rail line from Quebec City to Windsor is an idea whose "time has come."
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Quebec Premier Jean Charest yesterday announced yet another feasibility study of a fast train line, but both made clear they thought the ambitious project may finally get on track.
Any such project would come with a hefty price tag. A 1995 feasibility study pegged the cost then at $18.3 billion.
"This has been talked about for quite some time but every once in a while there's an idea whose time actually comes," McGuinty said.
Charest said it was an idea "worth pursuing."
"I see this as a project that will have many, many economic, social and environmental benefits," he said after meeting with McGuinty at the Chateau Laurier.
While many studies have already been done, McGuinty said it was time to do one that took into account "some of the new realities."
Congested roads, ballooning gas prices and growing worries over climate change have all given new life to this old dream, the premiers said. And they pitched the multi-billion-dollar, 1,200-kilometre rail line as a massive job-creation scheme.
"I don't think there's any doubt there's going to be lots of good Ontario and Quebec jobs created as a result of this project," McGuinty said, citing the need for workers to build the tracks, manufacture the cars and engineer the high-speed technology.
Canadian Auto Workers president Buzz Hargrove said he would be "very supportive" of such a rail link if the rolling stock is built here.
"We need something different from what's happening today, a major mega-project that recognizes manufacturing is really, really struggling," Hargrove said before a morning Queen's Park meeting with McGuinty and auto executives to discuss the auto industry.
"As long as it's combined with a requirement that the vehicles or the cars that they use are purchased or built in Ontario or Canada then I'll be fine with it," he said.
Federal Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon said later that Ottawa would share the study cost.
"This government is committed to examining alternatives that offer comfortable, faster and more reliable passenger rail services that will also contribute to reducing greenhouse gases and other emissions," Cannon said in a statement.
But he said governments would have to assess the willingness of private firms to share in the cost "so that taxpayers do not have to shoulder the entire financial burden."
Long-time supporters of the project are expressing optimism that talk may finally turn into action.
"The time is now because of fuel costs ... because of the environment and because of the economy," said David Jeanes, president of Transport 2000 Canada, a public transportation advocacy group.
The 1995 study of the project, done by the three levels of government, concluded that a high-speed rail line would woo passengers away from cars and airlines, resulting in a 20 per cent cut in energy consumption related to intercity travel. It also forecast a reduction in greenhouse gases.
The new service would also be a boon to travellers. Whizzing along the tracks at upwards of 300 km/h – double the speed of VIA Rail's current trains – it would take two hours and 18 minutes to travel between Montreal and Toronto, down from four hours.
***
Onboard for high-speed line
Quebec City-Windsor rail link resurrected by McGuinty, Charest
Jan 11, 2008 04:30 AM
bruce campion-smith
Ottawa bureau chief
OTTAWA–After decades of study and debate, the premiers of Ontario and Quebec now say a high-speed rail line from Quebec City to Windsor is an idea whose "time has come."
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Quebec Premier Jean Charest yesterday announced yet another feasibility study of a fast train line, but both made clear they thought the ambitious project may finally get on track.
Any such project would come with a hefty price tag. A 1995 feasibility study pegged the cost then at $18.3 billion.
"This has been talked about for quite some time but every once in a while there's an idea whose time actually comes," McGuinty said.
Charest said it was an idea "worth pursuing."
"I see this as a project that will have many, many economic, social and environmental benefits," he said after meeting with McGuinty at the Chateau Laurier.
While many studies have already been done, McGuinty said it was time to do one that took into account "some of the new realities."
Congested roads, ballooning gas prices and growing worries over climate change have all given new life to this old dream, the premiers said. And they pitched the multi-billion-dollar, 1,200-kilometre rail line as a massive job-creation scheme.
"I don't think there's any doubt there's going to be lots of good Ontario and Quebec jobs created as a result of this project," McGuinty said, citing the need for workers to build the tracks, manufacture the cars and engineer the high-speed technology.
Canadian Auto Workers president Buzz Hargrove said he would be "very supportive" of such a rail link if the rolling stock is built here.
"We need something different from what's happening today, a major mega-project that recognizes manufacturing is really, really struggling," Hargrove said before a morning Queen's Park meeting with McGuinty and auto executives to discuss the auto industry.
"As long as it's combined with a requirement that the vehicles or the cars that they use are purchased or built in Ontario or Canada then I'll be fine with it," he said.
Federal Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon said later that Ottawa would share the study cost.
"This government is committed to examining alternatives that offer comfortable, faster and more reliable passenger rail services that will also contribute to reducing greenhouse gases and other emissions," Cannon said in a statement.
But he said governments would have to assess the willingness of private firms to share in the cost "so that taxpayers do not have to shoulder the entire financial burden."
Long-time supporters of the project are expressing optimism that talk may finally turn into action.
"The time is now because of fuel costs ... because of the environment and because of the economy," said David Jeanes, president of Transport 2000 Canada, a public transportation advocacy group.
The 1995 study of the project, done by the three levels of government, concluded that a high-speed rail line would woo passengers away from cars and airlines, resulting in a 20 per cent cut in energy consumption related to intercity travel. It also forecast a reduction in greenhouse gases.
The new service would also be a boon to travellers. Whizzing along the tracks at upwards of 300 km/h – double the speed of VIA Rail's current trains – it would take two hours and 18 minutes to travel between Montreal and Toronto, down from four hours.
***
Come to think of it, it might be a good thing that this is being done by the provinces. It gives westerners less ammo to try to derail it (excuse the pun). With a provincial project getting federal funding, it gives incentive for Alberta to start something between Edmonton and Calgary, BC to team up with Washington state, etc.
