Officials from London, Ont., along with nearby counties, will urge the Ford government to enhance passenger rail services during their meeting at a conference in Toronto this month.
The city will join representatives from Elgin, Middlesex, and Oxford counties at the Rural Ontario Municipalities (ROMA) Conference starting on Jan. 18.
“We’ve determined that there’s a collective desire for better rail service in and out of the region and using London as a hub. It’s something that has been a long-standing advocacy position for the City of London,” Morgan said.
“We’re collectively going to advocate with the province, and then collectively, together, advocate to the feds. It’s really about regional partnership.”
The focus on faster and more frequent service is central to the efforts by both city and county officials. However, two main challenges stand in their way – current track conditions and ownership of those tracks.
In southwestern Ontario, Via Rail operates on tracks owned by CN Rail, where freight trains take precedence over passenger service.
This priority is one reason why only 51 percent of Via trains were on time in 2024; that figure dropped to 33 percent during the third quarter of 2025 based on recent data.
Recently, Via has pointed fingers at CN for enforcing speed limits at rail crossings, arguing that its new fleet may not be long or heavy enough to trigger safety measures every time.
“In other countries, there’s a different balance of prioritization between freight and rail,” Morgan said. “I’m not saying freight isn’t an incredibly important piece of the economy, but we really have to find a path forward to better rail service.”
There have been previous appeals for Ottawa to shift rail traffic priorities towards passengers. A private members bill introduced in 2021 aimed at doing just that before it was shelved when last year’s election was called.
WATCH | December train trip becomes time-consuming ordeal for passengers:
Via Rail passenger stranded for 12 hours overnight with little information
Via Rail passengers traveling from Toronto to Ottawa found themselves stranded overnight for 12 hours after another train broke down near Brockville, Ont., which also caused delays for two subsequent trains.
Poor passenger rail service not only affects travelers but also threatens the region’s economic prospects according to city leaders and the London Chamber of Commerce.
Last week, the chamber expressed its support for London’s request for provincial action on passenger rail through a letter sent to MPP Ric Bresee, who serves as transportation minister’s parliamentary assistant.
London’s new Master Mobility Plan includes key goals focused on advocating for improved passenger rail services from higher levels of government.
“Dedicated passenger rail would be a game-changer for southwestern Ontario,” reads a post authored by Kristen Duever, chief operating officer of the chamber.
This would broaden access to talent for employers while enabling students and workers alike to seek job opportunities and educational options; ultimately boosting productivity across the province as well as reducing congestion,” Duever wrote.
“Enhanced passenger rail is not just a transportation project. It is a strategic investment in people, productivity, and the future of southwestern Ontario.. Now is the time for the province to act.”
Last month, Carney’s government announced plans moving forward with Canada’s first high-speed rail network stretching from Toronto all the way up towards Quebec City. The first segment running from Montreal through Ottawa should begin construction by 2029.
This initiative started under Trudeau’s administration now forms part of Carney’s broader focus on major projects; however notably absent remains any discussion around extending it toward Windsor within this Quebec City-Windsor corridor framework.
The upcoming ROMA meeting presents an opportunity “to partner with provincial leaders in making sure we keep pressing our case before federal authorities who need understand investments into better railway infrastructure matter significantly-but there exists an essential element missing here,” Morgan added.
“We’re not necessarily pitching high-speed rail in that formation but recognize significant limitations currently placed upon how fast existing systems can operate.. there could very well exist interim adjustments which might alleviate some issues.”
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Via Rail passenger stranded for 12 hours overnight with little information
Via Rail passengers traveling from Toronto to Ottawa found themselves stranded overnight for 12 hours after another train broke down near Brockville, Ont., which also caused delays for two subsequent trains.
Poor passenger rail service not only affects travelers but also threatens the region’s economic prospects according to city leaders and the London Chamber of Commerce.
Last week, the chamber expressed its support for London’s request for provincial action on passenger rail through a letter sent to MPP Ric Bresee, who serves as transportation minister’s parliamentary assistant.
London’s new Master Mobility Plan includes key goals focused on advocating for improved passenger rail services from higher levels of government.
“Dedicated passenger rail would be a game-changer for southwestern Ontario,” reads a post authored by Kristen Duever, chief operating officer of the chamber.
This would broaden access to talent for employers while enabling students and workers alike to seek job opportunities and educational options; ultimately boosting productivity across the province as well as reducing congestion,” Duever wrote.
“Enhanced passenger rail is not just a transportation project. It is a strategic investment in people, productivity, and the future of southwestern Ontario.. Now is the time for the province to act.”
Last month, Carney’s government announced plans moving forward with Canada’s first high-speed rail network stretching from Toronto all the way up towards Quebec City. The first segment running from Montreal through Ottawa should begin construction by 2029.
This initiative started under Trudeau’s administration now forms part of Carney’s broader focus on major projects; however notably absent remains any discussion around extending it toward Windsor within this Quebec City-Windsor corridor framework.The upcoming ROMA meeting presents an opportunity “to partner with provincial leaders in making sure we keep pressing our case before federal authorities who need understand investments into better railway infrastructure matter significantly-but there exists an essential element missing here,” Morgan added.
“We’re not necessarily pitching high-speed rail in that formation but recognize significant limitations currently placed upon how fast existing systems can operate.. there could very well exist interim adjustments which might alleviate some issues.”
Via Rail paid out $31M in vouchers due mainly because CN crossing delays
A new set speed limit set forth regarding CN railroad crossings has resulted thus far into Via Rail issuing approximately $31 million worth travel vouchers since last fall- impacting countless riders whose journeys exceeded one hour late along Quebec City-Windsor route.Source link
