September 11, 2012 – Sarnia-Lambton, Ontario – One hundred and fifty Sarnia-Lambton residents filled the room at the Lambton Inn, Sarnia, on Saturday for the first of a series of Town Hall Workshops regarding VIA Rail.
“There could not have been a more appropriate place than Sarnia to begin our transcontinental tour,” said Greg Gormick, project director for Transport Action’s National Dream Renewed and facilitator of Saturday’s Workshop. “Sarnia personifies the need for modern, efficient, and customer-driven rail passenger service all across Canada.”
The workshops are giving Canadian citizens an opportunity to provide their comments and suggestions regarding the recent cuts and continued downgrading of VIA Rail passenger service across Canada. Following the workshops Gormick and Transport Action Canada will create a new rail passenger vision that will be provided to VIA, Minister of State for Transport Steven Fletcher, and all MPs.
Sticking to a non-partisan format, Saturday’s workshop constructively addressed the “six pillars of a modern, affordable and sustainable VIA Rail Canada”. Local residents were keen to offer both personal insights into how the recent rail cuts have negatively affected their lives, and suggestions on how it can be improved.
“It’s frustrating because if we’re paying for this service out of our tax dollars, what are we getting in return?” asked Sarnian Christine Preece. “And I’m not going to go away until we get the answers.” Preece works in London and commuted with VIA until the afternoon train was eliminated. She’s since started a petition she plans to take to national politicians. Attendees applauded as others voiced their frustration with how the Crown corporation is run. People complained of high ticket prices and poor connectivity to trains beyond London.
“Thanks to the public, municipal, and business community support we received in Sarnia, we’re starting this project on an extremely high note,” said Gormick. “It’s time VIA and our politicians realize that Canadians want a modern, efficient and customer-driven rail passenger service, just like those found in every other industrialized nation around the globe. The people of Sarnia delivered that message loud and clear with their splendid turnout at our first National Dream Renewed town hall workshop. We intend to take that message from Sarnians clear across this land and make the long overdue renewal of VIA Rail Canada a reality.”
Cogeco TV will air a large portion of the Town Hall Workshop locally on Tuesday, September 18, at 6:30 p.m.
Upcoming Town Hall Workshops are slated for Sudbury, Stratford, Halifax, Moncton, Campbelton, Bathurst, Miramichi, Edmundston, and Kitchener-Waterloo; with more to follow.
More information on Transport Action Canada’s can be found at their website, www.nationaldreamrenewed.com.
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For further information contact:
George Mallay, General Manager
Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership
519-332-1820