Ontario is committing an additional $ 75 million to restore passenger train service to Northern Ontario. The business case for passenger service has also been updated. It looks more closely at three train options that would require a subsidy to maintain operations. Two of the railways being explored end at Timmins. Prime Minister Doug Ford was in Timmins today for the funding announcement. Ford, Transport Secretary Caroline Mulroney, Timmins Mayor George Pirie, Ontario Northland President and CEO Corina Moore, and other officials boarded a passenger train in Hoyle for the short trip to Porcupine, where a young man might be staying. Terminal Station. “Restoring this rail service will be a huge boost, not only for the families up here but also for the local tour operators who will once again be able to show the world the kind of beauty found only in Northern Ontario.” said Ford. Over the next three years, Moore said the funding would allow the ONTC to consider all requirements, such as passenger coaching and infrastructure needed for rail service. The agreements should also be negotiated with CN Railway. “We know what infrastructure upgrades should look like, so we’re going to start this design. “We are looking at the requirements of the stations and all the other opportunities along the way to make sure that it attracts tourism and connects people in the way it should in the north,” Moore said. Passenger rail service was canceled in Northern Ontario in 2012. At the time, rail service did not run on the Timmins and was a Toronto-Cochran route. In 2018, Premier Doug Ford gave a campaign promise to restore passenger rail service. The government has announced plans to return passenger train service to the north and has committed $ 5 million to feasibility work in 2021. Timmins has been named as the terminal. The goal is for the passenger rail service to be operational by the mid-2020s. The revised business case examines in more detail three options for the passenger rail line. The North Bay termination option has been removed and there is a new train termination option in Timmins, but there is a rail connection to Cochrane. Two new proposed stations have also been added for Kirkland Lake (Swastika) and the South River. North of North Bay, the stations that have already been confirmed are Temagami, New Liskeard, Englehart and Matheson. The three routes considered are:
Option 1: Train service from Toronto to Timmins, with express bus service between Matheson and Cochrane and bus connection between Timmins and Cochrane. It is estimated that passenger traffic would be between. 39,170 and .3 58,360 by 2041. The total cost, including one-off start-up capital costs and current operating and maintenance costs, is $ 554.7 million to $ 671.3 million for a new fleet and $ 440.1 million to $ 630.2 million for a refurbished fleet. Option 2: Train service from Toronto to Timmins, with additional rail connection between Timmins and Cochrane and an express bus between Matheson and Cochrane. It is estimated that passenger traffic will be between $ 39,220 and $ 60,110 by 2041. The total cost, including one-off start-up capital costs and ongoing operating and maintenance costs, is $ 552.7 million to $ 666.2 million for a new fleet and $ 438.3 million to $ 625 million for a refurbished fleet. Option 3: Train service to Cochrane (where the Moosonee Polar Bear Express train ends), an express bus between Matheson and Timmins and a bus connection between Timmins and Cochrane. It is estimated that passenger traffic will be between $ 39,790 and $ 55,090 by 2041. The total cost, including one-off start-up costs and running and running costs, is $ 552.2 million to $ 649.1 million for a new fleet and $ 427.7 million to $ 653.2 million for a refurbished fleet.
The frequency of the train will be based on the requirements of the season and will range from four to seven days a week.
All options require a subsidy to maintain the service. The business report notes that an operating grant is typical of inter-community projects in North America connecting underserved areas. By 2041, the conservative scenario sets the annual subsidy at between $ 11.8 million and $ 12.6 million. The updated business case says that option two, which ends at Timmins and also connects Cochrane by rail, “outperforms” other options with its financial benefits and cost-benefit benefits. Pirie said the return of the passenger rail is an urgent need for the development and prosperity of the region. “As a regional hub and with Porcupine as the future terminal, we will certainly see a positive impact on our tourism and industry sectors,” he said in a press release. “Residents will have another viable travel option to Toronto and points south. This is an urgent need for access to medical appointments and travel. It will improve our quality of life and the well-being of the community by enhancing access to and from Timmins. and the north. “ The next election in Ontario is on June 2. At Timmins, Pirie is the PC contender.
