Explore all rail options

The Ontario government is pushing highspeed rail as a solution to transportation challenges in southwestern Ontario. It is about to award the contract for the environmental assessment (EA), limited to rail only between Kitchener and London.

If it is a good idea, shouldn’t the EA consider all rail alternatives so that the best option can be implemented? It has already been determined that Kitchener to Toronto will be slower high performance rail that will largely negate any benefits of higher speeds between Kitchener and London.

Higher speed rail can run on existing track in established rail corridors. Additional track will be required to ease the passenger-freight conflicts but at a significantly lower cost than a completely new high-speed line. More communities will be served with only a modest difference in travel time. Further, the existing agricultural community will largely be unaffected by a high-speed line. It will cause a huge disruption.

Thus, there are several reasons why the EA process should study alternatives to highspeed rail, including improvement to services currently offered by Via Rail, to optimize the solution. Likely, existing Via services in this area would be withdrawn if the high speed rail project proceeds.

Mike Marshman

New Hamburg