Sept. 13 meeting to focus on the future of Via Rail in Sudbury

A Canada-wide tour that seeks to revive passenger rail service in Canada makes a stop in Sudbury on Sept. 13.

The first of a series of town hall workshops regarding VIA Rail took place Sept. 8 in Sarnia-Lambton.

“There could not have been a more appropriate place than Sarnia to begin our transcontinental tour,” said Greg Gormick, project director for Transport Action’s National Dream Renewed, in a press release Sept. 11. “Sarnia personifies the need for modern, efficient, and customer-driven rail passenger service all across Canada.”

The workshops aim to give Canadians a chance to comment on recent service cuts – including in Sudbury — and continued downgrading of VIA Rail passenger service across Canada. Following the workshops, Gormick and Transport Action Canada will create a new rail passenger vision that will be provided to VIA, Transport Minister Steven Fletcher and all MPs.

The Sudbury meeting will be held in room C11 at Tom Davies Square from 7-9 p.m. In the release, Gormick said he’s encouraged with how well the first meeting went.

“Thanks to the public, municipal, and business community support we received in Sarnia, we’re starting this project on an extremely high note,” said Gormick.

“It’s time VIA and our politicians realize that Canadians want a modern, efficient and customer-driven rail passenger service, just like those found in every other industrialized nation around the globe.”

Other meetings are slated for Stratford, Halifax, Moncton, Campbelton, Bathurst, Miramichi, Edmundston and Kitchener-Waterloo — with more to follow.

More information can be found at the group’s website, www.nationaldreamrenewed.com.