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Powassan, Northlander Test Train
It’s been said that in life, there are three constants: job insecurity, taxes, and governments’ inability to provide or reinstate passenger rail in Northern Ontario within a timely manner.
Procrastinating politicians, routine cancellations, and the use of rolling stock well past its best before date are just some of the issues that continue to inconvenience travellers in this part of the country.
The most reliable way to forecast the future is to try to understand the present, so let’s dive right in.
Ontario Northland
It’s Groundhog Day all over again at Queen’s Park.
For the third time in seven years, the Ford government has pledged to bring back the Northlander.
It’s practically become a tradition for the provincial Tories to rinse and repeat the same announcement when re-entering office.
Sure, there’s been some progress made since first promising to reintroduce passenger rail to the Northeast way back in 2018.
New trainsets are currently being manufactured. Ontario Northland is improving its rail network so travel speeds are competitive.
However several important questions remain unanswered:
- Will the Northlander have priority access on the privately owned Canadian National Railway south of North Bay?
- Will the train face the same delays plaguing VIA Rail’s new fleet when entering any of CN’s railroad crossings?
- What’s the province’s plan to ensure passengers have practical last mile connections to their final destination?
- When will construction begin on the Timmins-Porcupine station?
- When will shelters, destined for Almaguin, Muskoka and Timiskaming regions, be installed?
- Finally, why is the government turning away potential riders in Beaverton; a community that has publically expressed interest in having a stop?
The Northlander will relaunch in about a year’s time. Success or failure largely depends on attracting passengers. Attracting them is strongly influenced by whether decision makers choose to properly address concerns like these, or bury their heads in the sand.
Via Rail
If the hallmark of excellence is consistency, the now former Trudeau Liberal government deserves a failing grade for leaving VIA Rail in a decayed state.
It’s bad enough when trains arrive several hours late. Customers have to fend for themselves, often waiting in front of closed or boarded up stations.
But when recurring equipment failure is the reason for interrupting rail service, then the Government of Canada isn’t fulfilling its obligation to provide public transportation in federally mandated areas like Northern Ontario.
During the month of April (2025), the Sudbury-White River train — which connects some 40 communities, First Nations and otherwise inaccessible settlements — was cancelled no less than 12 times due to mechanical issues that couldn’t be repaired quickly.
These 70+ year old train sets are understandably nearing the end of their useful life. Previously reported concerns include:
- problems with the transmission;
- overheating equipment;
- malfunctioning fan motors;
- and pieces of sheet metal falling off the undercarriage.
Yet on this route, VIA Rail doesn’t have any backup equipment on standby. Therefore the company doesn’t provide alternate transportation — which causes a great deal of stress for transit users and tourists alike who sometimes book their tickets weeks, if not months in advance.
Northerners can’t be expected to board passenger trains that don’t operate as intended, let alone don’t show up.
Five people have held the position of Minister of Transport during the last four years. Do you expect me to believe not one of them was briefed on the equipment situation?
The Budd Car
If the Budd Car manages to survive the next decade approximately when VIA Rail anticipates replacing its antiquated fleet, the train needs to be extended west to the City of Thunder Bay along the existing CPKC tracks.
White River, a township of 550, is not an appropriate terminus point.
In the meantime, the newly elected Carney government unveiled the Canada Strong Pass initiative. It’ll provide Canadian families and youth with free or discounted travel aboard VIA Rail during the summer.
They too can now discover the joys of having the rug pulled out from under them while waiting eleven hours to board in front a broken-down station.
“You’ll love taking the train. Leave your car at home and climb aboard!”
Why choose VIA Rail indeed …
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Éric Boutilier is a columnist for Northern Tracks, a self-published blog related to intercity transportation in Northern Ontario.
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