Transport 2000 Canada Hot Line

8 May 2009

This is the Transport 2000 Canada Hotline, issue number 1019, for 8 May 2009.

In this issue...

1 - Calendar

2 - Canada-EU aviation deal: A "fragile industry" in Canada: Harry Gow, Transport 2000

Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Wednesday told Europe-bound air travellers that lower prices are coming with an open skies deal struck with the European Union, but some industry watchers aren't so sure consumers will be the big winners," Canwest News Service reported on May 6.

"As they usually do, they try and sell these things as a terrific boon to everybody and everybody will be flying all over the place. You'll be able to fly from Saskatoon to Prague twice a day," said Louis Ehrlichman, research director at the Toronto-based International Association of Machinists, which represents Air Canada employees. Ehrlichman said it's more likely further consolidation of the industry will flow from deregulation ...

Canwest's Sarah Schmidt reported: "Harry Gow, founding president of the Transport 2000, a consumer-advocacy organization specializing in air travel, is doubtful Canada's "fragile" airline industry will thrive. "One of the aspects that has long concerned me with open skies in general as a principle is that we have a peculiar market in Canada. We are barely able to manage to keep one medium-size airline solvent in Canada."

http://www2.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=1570077

3 - Use Fredericton's historic railway station: Lewis Morgan, Transport 2000

Lewis Morgan, a member of Transport 2000 Atlantic, a group that promotes the advancement and development of public transportation, believes the property should be redeveloped so that it can be used by Acadian Bus Lines. The company is looking to move from its location at 101 Regent St," the Daily Gleaner reported on May 7.

"Morgan said the York Street site would give Acadian the space it needs, while providing ample parking. The York Street train station, constructed in 1923, is protected under federal heritage legislation that bars owners J.D. Irving Ltd. from tearing it down. The cost of restoring the structure is about $2 million," the Gleaner's Michael Staples wrote.

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/cityregion/article/659494

4 - Hausse d'utilisation record chez VIA Rail

« Les clients réguliers de VIA Rail n'ont pas la berlue: il y a beaucoup plus de passagers dans les trains de la société d'État fédérale depuis l'an dernier. En 2008, l'utilisation des trains de VIA a augmenté de 10%, selon le rapport annuel de VIA Rail ... » Vincent Brousseau-Pouliot rapportait dans la Presse le 5 mai.

« En 2008, VIA Rail a transporté 4,6 millions de voyageurs, comparativement à 4,2 millions l'année précédente. Cette hausse de clientèle de 10% est énorme pour la société d'État fédérale, qui n'a enregistré qu'une seule hausse supérieure à 4% depuis 1991 (5,4% en 2005) » la Presse rapportait.

« La hausse en 2008 est attribuable à l'augmentation du prix de l'essence et au financement supplémentaire accordé par le gouvernement Harper afin d'ajouter de nouveaux départs. À titre d'exemple, la société d'État offre six départs quotidiens de plus entre Montréal et Ottawa depuis janvier 2008 ».

http://lapresseaffaires.cyberpresse.ca/economie/transports/200905/05/01-853308-hausse-dutilisation-record-chez-via-rail.php

5 - $300 million to electrify AMT rail network

"Electrifying Montreal's commuter train network would cost more than $300 million, according to a document the Agence métropolitaine de transport submitted to the Canadian Transportation Agency in December," the Montreal Gazette reported on May 6.

"Yesterday, the AMT and Hydro-Québec said they will commission a feasibility study of the electrification of 250 kilometres of tracks used by four non-electric AMT lines - Dorion, Blainville, Delson and Mont St. Hilaire. A fifth AMT line, Deux Montagnes, is electric. The study is due next spring".

The Gazette reported: "Electrification could be done gradually over 15 years, beginning in 2011, with Hydro picking up part of the cost. Electric trains would eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, cut noise pollution, and improve reliability, AMT president Joël Gauthier said".

http://www.montrealgazette.com/Technology/million+electrify+rail+network/1567293/story.html

6 - Un nouveau service de banlieue

« Les résidents de la Nation, du village de Casselman, du canton de Glengarry-Nord et du canton de North Stormont peuvent désormais prendre l'autobus pour se rendre à leur travail à Ottawa. La province va en effet octroyer 279 554 dollars au nouveau service dans le cadre du financement par la taxe sur l'essence. La Nation coordonnera le service pour le compte des autres municipalités, » le député Jean-Marc Lalonde a annoncé le 30 avril.

« L'Ontario partage deux cents par litre sur les revenus provenant de la taxe sur l'essence avec les municipalités dans le but d'étendre leurs services de transport en commun. Le gouvernement a accordé aux municipalités plus de 1,3 milliard de dollars en financement par la taxe sur l'essence depuis 2004, dont plus de 321 millions de dollars en 2009-2010. »

7 - New commuter service into Ottawa

Residents of The Nation, the Village of Casselman, North Glengarry Township and North Stormont Township can now take the bus to their jobs in Ottawa. The province is supporting the new service with $279,554 in gas tax funding. The Nation is coordinating the service on behalf of the other municipalities," Jean-Marc Lalonde, MPP announced on April 30.

"Ontario shares two cents per litre from gas tax revenues with municipalities to expand their public transit systems. The government is providing municipalities with more than $1.3 billion in gas tax funding since 2004, including more than $321 million in 2009/10. ...

By 2010, Ontario will have provided municipalities with $1.6 billion in Gas Tax funding for public transit. The Nation is the 90th transit system to receive provincial gas tax funding for public transit. One bus takes 40 vehicles off the road and keeps 25 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere each year.

8 - LRT to take northeast extension Gorman station to open in 2012

"Edmonton's LRT is being expanded from Clareview to the proposed Gorman Towne Centre in the first northeastern extension of the system since it was built more than 30 years ago. The project was announced Thurs-day as part of $300-million worth of "shovel ready" LRT upgrades being funded by the city, provincial and federal governments to improve infrastructure and stimulate the economy," the Edmonton Journal reported on May 1.

"Construction could start within a few months and should be completed by early 2012 at the latest, transportation general manager Bob Boutilier said. The line will mainly follow the CN rail right-of-way leading to the station and parking lot near 153rd Avenue and Victoria Trail ... with a total cost of $210 million ... ."

The Journal's Gordon Kent reported: "Other projects include: Upgraded LRT signal lights from downtown to Clareview and extending platforms on the five current and future LRT stations south of university to five cars long from four cars (they were originally designed for four cars when funding was tight)".

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/take+northeast+extension/1552825/story.html

9 - Low ridership is threatening the Milton bus service

The Canadian Champion reported: "Milton Mayor Gord Krantz has warned the Milton Transit bus system could be eliminated if ridership doesn't increase enough to improve the cost recovery ratio of the system. 'The cliché and I've been using it all along is, 'Use it or lose it,' Krantz said at a recent community services committee meeting during discussion on the 2009-13 draft strategic plan for Milton Transit, which will be the subject of a public input session this Tuesday at the Milton Seniors' Activity Centre".

"The current cost recovery ratio for Milton Transit is about 20 per cent, but the draft plan foresees that increasing to 34 per cent by 2011," the Champion's Tim Foran wrote on May 1.

"The Town's public meeting on the strategic plan will be held from 2 to 4 p. m. and 6 to 8:30 p.m. With presentations at 2:30 and 7 p.m. Those unable to attend can review and comment on the plan online at www.milton.ca until May 13".

http://www.miltoncanadianchampion.com/printarticle/251306

10 - Moncton's Industrial Rail Services Inc. awarded Via Rail contract

"(IRS) was awarded contracts worth more than $100-million to restore 98 of the Crown corporation's passenger rail cars that make up its Montreal-to-Toronto fleet, the Telegraph-Journal has learned. The money comes from a pot of $691.9 million Ottawa has dedicated to Via Rail to improve services across Canada," the Telegraph Journal reported on May 2.

"The deal will see workers refurbish cars inside and out, including seats, air conditioning, engines, windows and more at the company's west Moncton facility, formerly CN Railway's locomotive repair and rebuild shop".

"The company, which Carpenter established more than a decade ago, repairs locomotives for such industry names as General Motors and Arcelor Mittal and conducts quality assurance tests on railcars for other global manufacturing firms," the Telegraph-Journal's Rebecca Penty wrote.

http://nbbusinessjournal.canadaeast.com/journal/article/654246

11 - Edmonton Trolleys: Clean, quiet transport held sway for 70 years

"Edmonton Transit driver Bill McDonald has shuttled passengers around the city on four generations of trolley buses over the past 32 years". "Wearing an 'I love trolleys' pin on Saturday, McDonald got behind the wheel one last time to take a group of nostalgic passengers on their final trolley run. 'It's a sad day,' said McDonald, 53. 'The trolley buses have been a gift to Edmontonians. They've served the citizens well," the Edmonton Journal reported on May 3.

Passengers rode route No. 3 for free Saturday afternoon on a red-and-cream Brill trolley bus from the 1940s, brought out of the city's heritage fleet especially for the final ceremonial ride".

"There's nothing quite like the resonance of a trolley on the road, McDonald said. The sound of distant thunder on the prairie, 'that's the sound you want to hear,' he said. 'They are quick on the takeoff, they are warmer in the winter, and they're quiet,'" the Journal's Andrea Sands wrote.

http://www2.canada.com/technology/aboard+last+trolley+ride/1558652/story.html?id=1558652

12 - Federal report says Ottawa transit tunnel cost low-balled

"Funding for Ottawa's new transit plan could be in serious trouble. ... A Transport Canada report says the city might be underestimating the cost of a downtown transit tunnel and that the federal department should be cautious during its talks with the city," the Ottawa Sun reported on May 2.

"The report, dated April 24, 2009, and given to the Sun by LE DROIT, says several issues must be taken into consideration before the federal government commits any money to the city's revised public transit project".

"'Cost estimates for the light rail transit segments of the plan may be low,' the report says. 'City staff estimate that a 3-km tunnel downtown would cost approximately $550 million which seems low when compared to transit tunnel projects in other Canadian cities.'"

"Phase 1 would be completed in three stages over the next 22 years. The first stage includes building the downtown tunnel, a bridge across the Rideau River near Barrhaven and expanding the Transitway. City officials say it could be ready in 10 years or less," the Sun's Derek Puddicomb reported.

http://www.ottawasun.com/news/ottawa/2009/05/02/9323021-sun.html


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