Toward envisioned High Speed Rail in Canada
by The Canadian Editorial Staff
If a Canadian consortium has its way, Canada's first high-speed train will pull out of a station in Toronto or Quebec City early in the next few years. Travelling at speeds of up to 320 kilometres per hour, Montreal-Toronto would take only two hours and 20 minutes, compared with four hours, at best, today. Rail travellers may welcome this development, as may those wanting a fast and less expensive alternative to short-haul air service from congested airports. But do these benefits merit a $7.5 billion taxpayer contribution to an $11 billion railway? Does Canada even have the capacity to manage such a complex rail project?
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The initial costs may seem modest. The Lynx consortium - which includes SNC-Lavalin, AGRA Monenco, Bombardier, and GEC Alsthom - wants the federal government, Ontario and Quebec to put up much of the $120 million it needs for preparatory studies. However, this is not just a study effort, but a preparation for actual construction. Project managers had planned to aggressively promote High Speed Rail to elected officials and bureaucrats, and to the diverse Canadian public.
A high-speed rail link will encourage less fossil fuel burning car and ozone destroying airline travel along its 854 kilometres, save time and cost for some passengers, and reduce transport emissions. Promoters will undoubtedly translate these benefits into impressive-sounding economic and environmental numbers. Rail now serves less than 1% of Canada's intercity travel market.
It is vital the Government of Canada undertake the leadership in any high speed rail network similar to other countries with such networks, in a manner that will ensure the socially and environmentally responsible development of high speed rail in Canada.
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