Business case for bringing rail back to Vancouver Island released
The Island Corridor Foundation (ICF), which manages rail on Vancouver Island, released last week an initial business case stating the need it sees for safe, efficient, reliable, transit-like rail as the island's population grows.
“When the province is forecasting by 2038 we could be looking at transit times of upwards of two and a half hours from Mill Bay to Victoria, I would suggest that it’s time for us to start exploring other options,” says Larry Stevenson, CEO of the ICF.
The study lays out four distinct operations of rail that can be delivered on the island, and bringing back the day-liner is not included.
Operations would include a commuter train from Langford to Victoria, an inter-regional train running from Courtenay to Victoria twice a day during peak hours, freight trains focusing on Port Alberni and Nanaimo ports, and excursion trains.
Upgrading the 290 kilometres of track from Victoria to Courtenay and from Parksville to Port Alberni would cost approximately $431 million: $381 million to restore the track and another $50 million to purchase rail equipment. The estimated cost is adjusted to 2023 cost projections.
“I don’t think anybody is ready to write the cheque yet, but it certainly gives us the basis from which we can start having those discussions,” says Stevenson.
The business case urges that discussion between First Nation communities and the provincial and federal governments need to happen first and foremost.
ICF says a Supreme Court decision in 2020 that ruled against returning land to an island First Nation has essentially given ICF a deadline of March 2023 to resolve the funding for improvements to the railroad.
In statement to CTV News, the Ministry of Transportation provided the following response to the ICF's report:
“The ministry is committed to finding the best use for the Island Rail Corridor as well as to supporting First Nations interests in these discussions.
The Island Rail Corridor remains under the ownership of the Island Corridor Foundation (ICF). The ICF gave the province an opportunity to review the business case prior to its release. However, this business case was developed independently from the province.
The province provided feedback to the ICF on specific elements, noting the lack of First Nations consultation and lack of contingency in the proposed costs. At this time, the province has made no commitments to the future of the rail corridor. Further discussion is required to determine its best use.
The province is also closely monitoring how the federal government responds to a B.C. Court of Appeal ruling related to sections of the corridor that lie within the Snaw-Naw-As First Nation Reserve.
The interests of First Nations are a critical consideration to the province as we continue our work to determine the best use of this corridor.”
The entire business case can be viewed here.
Rail service on Vancouver Island has been dormant since 2011.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.