Support growing for passenger rail through Peterborough

Grassroots political support is growing for the $5.2-billion Toronto-Quebec City high frequency passenger rail service that would pass through Peterborough proposed last fall by Via Rail.

On Wednesday morning, Frontenac County council endorsed a resolution from the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) that called on the federal and Ontario governments to financially support the high-frequency rail project.

Train service along the existing Via Rail line could be improved as part of a proposal to build a dedicated passenger route, a company spokesperson said.

The plan, in its early stages, would see the Crown corporation build a new rail route between Toronto and Ottawa as part of a larger line from Windsor to Quebec City.

A map of the proposed route shows the new rail line passing through Peterborough and then on to Tweed, Sharbot Lake and Smiths Falls.

“One of the options under consideration by Via Rail includes the (Peterborough-originated) Shining Waters Railway Plan, which aims to provide passenger service from Toronto to Ottawa through Smiths Falls, using existing or discontinued railroad rights of way,” Via Rail spokeswoman Mariam Diaby wrote in an email to Postmedia Network oThursday.

“There are several options for stops along the route being considered, it would be premature to comment further at this time.”

The plan is meant to allow Via to operate trains on a more frequent basis, solving what the company says is the biggest obstacle to travellers choosing the train.

Via trains currently run on tracks owned by Canadian National Rail, which limits how often the passenger trains can run.

A new passenger route would benefit communities along the existing Via route, Diaby added.

“For the existing routes, residents along the Toronto-Kingston-Montreal-Quebec corridor will see improved scheduling and service tailored to their community’s needs,” Diaby wrote.

The plan was submitted to Via Rail’s shareholder in December and is currently under review by the federal government, Diaby stated.