West-side councillors want CN to save rail line
Committee to debate supporting Pontiac’s bid to find buyer
Several west-end councillors want to help the Pontiac regional government in the Outaouais protect a precious rail line that Canadian National intends to tear up.
Next week, Ottawa city council’s transportation committee is to debate writing a letter to CN asking it to give the Pontiac government more time to find someone else to take over the line, an idea proposed by Kanata North Coun. Marianne Wilkinson.
The 123-kilometre line runs from a junction near western Carling Avenue in Ottawa, to Pembroke, crossing the Ottawa River twice and running through the Pontiac a good part of the way. It used to be a lifeline for freight moving to and from the Ottawa Valley, but as industry has waned so has rail traffic. CN wants to take up the line and reuse it elsewhere, ending the dreams of many on both sides of the river that the railway could once again spur economic development.
Earlier this month, a Pontiac government worker parked a truck across the line to keep CN equipment from getting to work. A court hearing is coming over whether the Pontiac has the authority to forbid CN to take up the line. In the meantime, MRC Pontiac is looking for another operator.
“The MRC Pontiac strongly believes that the maintenance of this railway is critical to the economic growth in the area and its loss would be a severe blow to economic health of the area,” says a report Wilkinson filed with the transportation committee. The idea of writing a letter has the backing of councillors Eli El-Chantiry and Mark Taylor, whose wards include pieces of the line.
The City of Ottawa has no direct use for the line — it’s not part of any official transportation or economic development plans, though many people would like to see commuter rail on disused railways — and has declined to buy it. In principle, though, the city would like to see it stay on the ground and in operation. Writing a letter supporting the Pontiac government is about the smallest possible action the city could take while still officially doing something.