44th Parliament220CertifiedFebruary 12, 2024e-4717e-4717 (Transportation)JamesMcAvoyElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCJanuary 9, 2024, at 3:41 p.m. (EDT)February 8, 2024, at 3:41 p.m. (EDT)February 12, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Via Rail provides a public service to all Canadians;Approximately 70% of Via Rail's revenue comes from Corridor services;The proposed HSR/HFR project would hand Corridor operations over to a private operator; andThis would effectively gut VIA Rail, which would negatively affect many Canadians, particularly rural Canadians.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to remove the section of the HSR/HFR project that hands operations of services in the Corridor to whichever private operator is successful in its bid.PrivatizationRail passenger transportationVIA Rail Canada Inc.44th Parliament207Open for signatureJanuary 8, 2024e-4754e-4754 (Transportation)TerenceJohnsonTaylorBachrachSkeena—Bulkley ValleyNDPBCJanuary 8, 2024, at 3:21 p.m. (EDT)April 7, 2024, at 3:21 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Passenger rail is a safe, efficient, sustainable, affordable, and accessible mode of public transportation;Due to federal cutbacks and underinvestment over many years, Canada’s current passenger rail services lag far behind those available in other countries;Since its creation in 1978, VIA Rail has lacked both the legislative mandate and stable budget necessary to maintain and expand passenger rail service in Canada;While VIA Rail's on-time performance on tracks it owns is over 90 percent, it is only 60 percent on tracks it shares with other railways;Rail privatization and outsourcing schemes in other countries have led to higher fares, reduced service, deteriorating safety performance, and lower salaries for workers;Unlike other public passenger rail providers around the world, VIA Rail lacks representation from passengers and workers on its board of directors; andIn its Corporate Plan, VIA has warned that its long-distance fleet, built in the 1950s, is overdue for replacement, without which it will soon be unable to provide services in Atlantic and Western Canada.We, the undersigned, Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Incorporate the contents of Bills C-371, the Rail Passenger Priority Act, and C-236/C-640 (41-2) the VIA Rail Canada Act, in a Government Bill and prioritize its passage through the legislative process;2. Commit, in the 2024 federal budget, the funds necessary to renew VIA Rail’s long-distance fleet;3. Provide passenger and worker representation on VIA Rail’s board of directors; and4. Revise the High Frequency Rail project to protect VIA Rail’s role in delivering public passenger rail service along the Windsor to Quebec City corridor.Rail passenger transportationVIA Rail Canada Inc.44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01578441-01578 (Transportation)LarryBrockBrantford—BrantConservativeONJune 21, 2023July 19, 2023June 14, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • VIA Rail Canada is a Crown corporation and operates Canada's national passenger rail service on behalf of the Government of Canada;
  • Before 2020, Via Rail Train 82 took morning commuters from Brantford to Toronto before 9:00 AM;
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, Via Rail cancelled Train 82 and is refusing to reinstate it;
  • This decision has left hundreds of people stranded without a reliable mode of commuting from southwestern Ontario to Toronto and has had a significant impact on the daily lives of commuters who relied on this train line to get to work, school, or appointments;
  • This decision has not only increased travel time for commuters but also put additional strain on our already congested highways;
  • This has also caused many to leave southwestern Ontario or face unemployment;
  • According to Statistics Canada, the number of commuters travelling between Brantford and Toronto has been steadily increasing over the past decade; and
  • Commuting by train is more environmentally friendly than driving, and with climate change being an urgent global issue and traffic congestion causing significant economic losses, it is imperative that we prioritize sustainable transportation options, such as commuter trains.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Work with the management of Via Rail to expedite its decision-making process;
  • Explain to them the benefits, including profitability, of reinstating Train 82; and
  • Encourage Via Rail to reinstate Train 82 immediately.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraAs with the broader transportation industry, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on VIA Rail’s operations across the country, with reduced frequencies and schedule changes on most routes, including Train 82. When the number of travellers increased following the gradual easing of public health measures in 2021, VIA Rail implemented a return-to-service strategy based on consumer demand, as well as staff and fleet availability. This strategy demonstrates sound financial management by VIA Rail throughout what has been the most difficult period in its history.The Government of Canada has made a significant investment in passenger rail with the purchase of VIA Rail’s new fleet, which is now entering operation in the Quebec City - Windsor Corridor. As additional capacity comes into service, VIA Rail continues to evaluate its scheduling and frequency across its national network. With respect to Train 82, VIA Rail is working to return it back to service, along with Train 83. VIA Rail is currently in discussion with their infrastructure partners and is confident that these trains will once again be connecting communities along the route, including Brantford and Toronto by Fall 2023.VIA Rail is an independent Crown corporation that operates at arm’s length from the Government of Canada. Part of the Minister of Transport’s role is to determine VIA Rail’s broad policy while respecting its operational autonomy, including the scheduling and frequencies of trains, as well as overall service operations. 
Rail passenger transportationVIA Rail Canada Inc.
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 17, 2022e-3938e-3938 (Transportation)KristopherWhittakerElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMarch 18, 2022, at 1:45 p.m. (EDT)May 17, 2022, at 1:45 p.m. (EDT)June 14, 2022August 17, 2022May 17, 2022Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:VIA Rail Canada is an essential service owned by the Canadian public;VIA Rail Canada is a public asset that must remain public;VIA Rail Canada is the sole option to affordable, intra-provincial travel for countless Canadians;Passenger rail is the most environmentally friendly mode of mass transportation;VIA Rail Canada is an affordable and green essential service that must remain accessible to all Canadians;Profit is the driving factor for any privately owned or publicly traded company. History shows us that privatization inherently leads to less service, lower wages, fewer jobs, higher costs, and closure of assets and routes deemed non-profitable all at the detriment of the end-user; andAt a time when the ever-changing climate has become one of humanity's greatest concerns, we as a nation should be investing in and championing passenger rail as a green, economical and efficient alternative to travel within Canada, accessible to all. To privatize this piece of VIA Rail Canada's network is taking a major step backward in accessible transportation to all.We, the undersigned, Residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Transport to stop the privatization of VIA Rail Canada in the Quebec City-Windsor corridor, VIA Rail’s most profitable service.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraTransforming intercity passenger rail is a priority for the Government of Canada. The High Frequency Rail (HFR) project is a key pillar in this effort. The HFR project represents a once-in-a-generation expansion of services to Canadians in the Toronto-Quebec City Corridor. By operating on tracks exclusive to its services, HFR would increase speeds and reduce journey times, increase frequencies and flexibility, and improve on-time performance and service reliability. It may also contribute to reduced road congestion and has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging a shift of travellers from higher emitting transportation modes to rail.The HFR project is the largest transportation infrastructure project Canada has seen in decades. Given the project’s size and complexity, the Government of Canada is taking a collaborative public-private partnership approach to developing the project – inviting the best Canadian and international firms to compete and present innovative approaches to optimize, deliver and operate the service. By maximizing competition and innovation, better services can be offered, design and construction can be accelerated, and cost to taxpayers can be reduced.The Government of Canada is not privatizing VIA Rail – the Government of Canada is, and will continue to be, the owner of VIA Rail, including the HFR project. VIA Rail, its unions, and its employees are central to the success of High Frequency Rail. The Government of Canada will require that any arrangement with a private sector partner to operate in the Corridor respects existing collective agreements and benefits, demonstrate how the partner would work with unions and employees, and ensures that existing employees would benefit from the job opportunities the project would offer. A private sector proposal that does not meet these requirements will not be entertained by the government. The Government of Canada will require that any arrangement with a private sector partner respects existing collective agreements and benefits, collaborates with unions, and ensures that existing employees would benefit from the job opportunities this project will offer.HFR would bring many new jobs to the passenger rail sector, expanding career opportunities for current VIA employees. It is expected that existing Corridor-based employees would eventually transfer to the new operator. Through this change, minimizing negative impacts on employees and their unions would be a priority.The Government of Canada has established a number of desired outcomes for the project, which are described in the Request for Expressions of Interest (https://buyandsell.gc.ca/procurement-data/tender-notice/PW-NB-003-81058), released on March 10, 2022. These include:
  • producing a significant modal shift to passenger rail,
  • enhancing the passenger experience in the Corridor,
  • supporting Canada’s net-zero commitment,
  • facilitate accessibility and advance social equity, including incorporating an affordable fare and ticketing strategy,
  • enable safe intercity journeys, and
  • mitigate impacts on Canadian taxpayers.
 
PrivatizationRail passenger transportationVIA Rail Canada Inc.