The Northern and Eastern Ontario Rail Network is again pointing out how poorly the Wynne Liberals treat Northern Ontario with rail transportation. NEORN says the Liberals continue to refuse to address legitimate transportation concerns in the north but in mid-May announced a $21-billion high speed rail corridor project between Toronto and Windsor. NEORN says instead of getting more money for rail, the north loses its piece of the pie as was the case in 2012 when the Ontario Liberals killed the Northlander. With the removal of the $11-million in funding for the Northlander, NEORN says residents in four northern districts lost their rail access to Southern Ontario. NEORN adds it’s not just rail service in the north that’s affected. It says bus service has also suffered as well as air. NEORN says just a short time ago town council in Kapuskasing was forced to cancel a subsidy it gives to Bearskin Airlines. The agency says during the winter, a bus passenger was left stranded in Blind River for nine hours because weather closed the Trans-Canada Highway. NEORN says in Wawa another weather related incident closed Highway 17 for almost 24 hours leaving Greyhound passengers to fend for themselves on a bus without heat. NEORN says it doesn’t cost anywhere nears as much to provide rail service in the north compared to Southern Ontario. The lobby group says it’s time that the provincial and federal governments restore rail service in rural and Northern Ontario and end the funding inequity. It also wants to see renewed funding for the short rail lines, like the Huron Central Railway, that would help ensure their long-term sustainability.
