N
Nathanael
Guest
(Not directly VIA, but people might be interested.)
Harper government decided to remove funding. Ride it while you can.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/subsidy-cut-spells-end-to-sault-hearst-passenger-train-service-1.2514467
I did a little research.
The total "Regional and Remote Passenger Rail Class Contribution Program" is only scheduled to get $58.2 million over *five years*, according to Harper's budget (which I found in a few places, under the name "Economic Action Plan 2013). $11.66 million per year is not enough to support many trains, especially to remote areas with low populations.
Notice that the overall budget for VIA is also way too small and would probably cause VIA to shut down entirely. I doubt that VIA can pull off the trick Amtrak did of borrowing against its equipment until the government changes. I think this might have been increased in Parliament after the initial budget proposal -- there was a lot of complaint about it.
Harper government decided to remove funding. Ride it while you can.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/subsidy-cut-spells-end-to-sault-hearst-passenger-train-service-1.2514467
I did a little research.
The total "Regional and Remote Passenger Rail Class Contribution Program" is only scheduled to get $58.2 million over *five years*, according to Harper's budget (which I found in a few places, under the name "Economic Action Plan 2013). $11.66 million per year is not enough to support many trains, especially to remote areas with low populations.
VIA's "remote and regional" trains were reported to have farebox recovery ratios of less than 20%, and only $5.1 million in revenue, back in 2010. Based on this, the federal funding will cover less than half of the existing *VIA* "essential services" routes. The non-VIA routes seem to have been the first casualty. I guess we're going to see more cuts to "essential services".Economic Action Plan 2013 proposes to provide $54.7 million in 201314
to support VIA Rails operations, and investments in its equipment.
Rail operators supported under Transport Canadas Regional and Remote Passenger Rail Class Contribution Program provide the only surface transportation option to several communities with no road links. Economic Action Plan 2013 proposes to provide $58.2 million over five years starting in 201314 to ensure that existing passenger rail services to remote communities can be continued.
Notice that the overall budget for VIA is also way too small and would probably cause VIA to shut down entirely. I doubt that VIA can pull off the trick Amtrak did of borrowing against its equipment until the government changes. I think this might have been increased in Parliament after the initial budget proposal -- there was a lot of complaint about it.