Ottawa gives Via Rail 30 days to make changes after passengers stranded
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/09/2024 (456 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
OTTAWA – Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez has given Via Rail a deadline to make some changes following a train delay that left passengers stranded over the weekend.
Rodriguez told Via Rail in a letter it has 30 days to update its emergency management action plan and he encourages it to work with Transport Canada to institute an updated communications protocol in the same time-frame.
He’s also asking for an independent investigation into the incident in which passengers were stranded for 10 hours as they ran out of food, water and working toilets.
Rodriguez called the incident “unacceptable for Canadians” and asked that Via Rail’s board “report to me on the corrective actions to be implemented.”
The updated plan must provide details about communication with passengers, he said.
“Via Rail must also explain how it intends to provide basic care of passengers (e.g., potable water, food, functioning toilets) and other services, such as a reliable access to telephone and internet connectivity, by looking at alternative solutions.”
Rodriguez said he also expects the plan to “clarify the level of compensation to passengers when such disruptive events occur.”
He noted Via Rail previously said it had addressed issues following similar disruptions during the 2022 holiday season, but he said that plan “failed” when tested last weekend.
Via Rail said in a statement the length of time passengers were stuck on the train is “unacceptable.”
The Crown corporation says it will commission an independent review and has already started implementing various measures.
It previously confirmed a train broke down between Montreal and Quebec City after experiencing two consecutive mechanical issues.
Rodriguez said in his letter he is “concerned that a breakdown happened with a new fleet,” and wants “to be sure Via Rail is taking the right steps, including working with suppliers, to fix the problem.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2024.
— With files from Mickey Djuric