Tag: Atlantic

Atlantic Transport News – Summer Round-up

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Welcome back to Atlantic Transport News! We’ve been quiet through the last several months, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been lots going on, both in terms of regional transportation news developments and ongoing advocacy work from our members throughout the region.

As an all-volunteer organization, keeping these monthly newsletters going has always been a challenge, and through this summer we simply haven’t had the bandwidth to keep them going on a monthly basis. We’re always looking for help with submissions and assistance to keep these newsletters alive and going – please see the last item in this issue for more information, and consider if you or someone you know might be able to assist.

Here’s the run-down of what you’ll find in this “catch-up” issue:

VIA RAIL NEWS RECAP – NEW EQUIPMENT RFI, A NEW PRESIDENT, AND SUMMER SERVICE DISRUPTIONS

VIA 15, with its now standard bidirectional consist, approaches Moncton early in 2023. (Photo – Tim Hayman)

There has been a fair bit of news on the VIA Rail file over the past several months.

In May, the results of the testing of VIA’s HEP fleet finally came out, and the much maligned “buffer car” requirement was dropped. This had never had a significant impact on the Ocean’s current configuration, aside from restricting the ability to carry pets in the baggage car; but the need to use otherwise serviceable equipment as “buffers” had an impact on fleet availability.

At the end of April, VIA formally issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFI) to potential suppliers for its long distance fleet replacement program, marking a more formal step in this procurement. We were disappointed that the federal government did not provide funding for this much needed long distance fleet replacement in the last budget, but the fact that VIA continues to do the ground work on moving this program ahead is encouraging. Given the timeline for new

You can read more about the RFI, as well as funding that was provided for repair work on the existing HEP fleet, from Transport Action Canada here: https://www.transportaction.ca/topics/intercity-rail-and-bus/long-distance-train-fleet-replacement-rfi-issued/

Refurbishments to VIA’s HEP fleet have spruced up these cars and will keep them running a while longer; but work on a replacement fleet for these, and the Renaissance cars, needs to get moving. (Photo – Tim Hayman)

The launch of VIA’s much-anticipated and oft-delayed new reservations system continues to be pushed off. One unfortunate and unanticipated impact of this pending new system, which we discovered to great dismay earlier this year, is that all intermodal ticketing has been dropped by VIA. The new system, apparently, will not (at least initially) be able to accommodate this function, so interline ticketing with partners including Maritime Bus and the REGIM bus shuttles to Gaspé were dropped earlier this year. Even though the reservations system still hasn’t launched as of this fall, the REGIM shuttle was dropped for the entire summer. There was undoubtedly room for improvement in the intermodal partnerships, but this is a huge step backwards, and not the sort of “improvement” we hoped for with the new system.

As of June, VIA has a new president – Mario Péloquin was appointed to a 5-year term: https://www.transportaction.ca/national-news/mario-peloquin-appointed-to-lead-via-rail/

TAA is generally encouraged by Péloquin’s background and what we’ve heard about his work in the VIA c-suite so far. We extended our congratulations to him on his appointment, and have also requested a meeting when the opportunity arises. We will be sure to update if and when we have such an opportunity.

At the end of August, VIA released their second quarter report for 2023. The news was generally positive, and for the Ocean, revenues for the quarter were up 55% over the previous year, with ridership up 46.4%. This is of course in part due to the fact that the train’s frequency for much of that quarter in 2022 was still only at 2 departures each way per week, increasing back to 3/week shortly before the end of the quarter. By contrast, the train has operated at the full 3/week frequency for all of the equivalent quarter in 2023. You can read the full report here: https://media.viarail.ca/sites/default/files/publications/VIA%20Rail_Second%20Quarter%20Report%202023.pdf

One additional bit of relevant news for this region was the announcement of funding for several “heritage” stations on the VIA network, including Halifax. The exact scope of the work to be done at Halifax is not clear, though it is presumed that much of the current ongoing work to the exterior facade and interior at the station are included in this funding: https://www.transportaction.ca/national-news/via-rail-announces-80m-investment-in-heritage-stations/

Locally, the Ocean has continued to operate in its new incarnation as usual this summer. Anecdotally, ridership appears to be consistent, though capacity on the trains continues to be less than what was offered pre-2020. This summer has once again been plagued by chronic delays, as a CN track work program on the Mont-Joli sub, compounded by heat related speed restrictions, has resulted in both trains 14 and 15 experiencing delays in excess of 2 to 3 hours (and on occasion as much as 6 to 8 hours) on the regular throughout this summer. This has resulted in the loss of early connecting trains in Montreal, and frequently late evening arrivals in Halifax. These issues are no doubt made worse by the ongoing long-term slow orders along many parts of the Newcastle Subdivision, for which there is no clear remedy in sight.

Train service was disrupted a few times by extreme weather events. In July, parts of Nova Scotia received unprecedented rainfall, with a number of washouts of the rail line including a major washout between Truro and Halifax. All service on the Bedford Subdivision was curtailed for nearly a week, while CN crews worked to repair the washout. VIA service was truncated at Moncton for several trips. Though VIA provided buses for the first trains affected by this washout, passengers going beyond Moncton were left to fend for themselves on the following trips. Fortunately, Maritime Bus stepped in to offer additional buses from Moncton to help accommodate passengers, a good move on their part and something we would have hoped to see coordinated by VIA.

VIA’s pending new reservations system has severed the intermodal ticketing arrangements with Maritime Bus; but the carrier still stepped in to cover a gap for passengers when train service was disrupted. (Photo – Tim Hayman)

Further train cancellations took place in September, with the arrival of post-tropical storm Lee. CN suspended all train operations in the region on Saturday, September 16th. VIA initially indicated that trains 14 and 15 would be delayed by 24 hours to avoid the storm, but they then cancelled both trains instead. Passengers were refunded, but offered no alternate transportation.

Both of these service interruptions highlight a change in VIA policy that TAA finds particularly troubling: a shift to cancelling trains with no accommodation for passengers, aside from offering refunds and in some cases additional travel credits. VIA once had a reputation for going to great lengths to accommodate disrupted passengers, but their current attitude seems to have shifted to a “sorry, you’re on your own” approach. While it’s entirely understandable that trains sometimes have to be cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances, the new approach to customer service seems more likely than ever to leave affected passengers thinking twice about returning to the rails.

NEW TRANSPORT MINISTER

There was a major cabinet shuffle this summer, and the transport portfolio was among those in the mix. Pablo Rodriguez, former Minister of Canadian Heritage, has now assumed that role: https://www.transportaction.ca/national-news/pablo-rodriguez-takes-over-as-minister-of-transport/

PEI – FEDS TO PURCHASE NORWEGIAN FERRY REPLACE MV HOLIDAY ISLAND

The MV Fanafjord will be making its way to PEI next sprint, to replace the MV Holiday Island (Photo: LMG Marin)

After the MV Holiday Island burned last year, PEI has been borrowing a ferry from Quebec to provide a second vessel on the Caribou – Wood Islands service. In August, the federal government announced that they will be purchasing the Norwegian ferry MV Fanafjord as a replacement for the MV Holiday Island. This will allow the service to continue with two dedicated vessels starting in 2024 and until the Holiday Island replacement vessel is built and delivered, which won’t be earlier than 2028.

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/minister-of-transport-announces-advance-contract-award-notice-to-acquire-an-interim-replacement-for-the-mv-holiday-island-ferry-859925599.html

CHIGNECTO ISTHMUS – SQUABBLING OVER FUNDING CONTINUES

Extreme weather events in the region this summer once again highlighted concerns about the future of the Chignecto Isthmus, and in particular, the critical road and rail corridors that cross between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia at this point. The federal government has indicated they’ll support the project, but are pointing to the need for the provinces to step in: https://www.transportaction.ca/regions/atlantic/canada-ready-to-fund-chignecto-isthmus-protection-if-provinces-match/

The provinces haven’t been on board. The latest iteration of this story has New Brunswick’s senate pushing for the federal government to shoulder the entire cost: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/chignecto-isthmus-senate-bill-1.6971212

Meanwhile, as the respective parties bicker, the isthmus remains vulnerable and major work to protect it for the future continues to be put off.

HALIFAX TRANSIT – NEXT ROUND OF SERVICE CHANGES IS MORE POSITIVE, BUT ELECTRONIC FARE PAYMENT DELAYED AGAIN

Halifax Transit has announced their next round of service changes, coming November 20, and after a series of scale backs to routes due to shortages of drivers, it seems recruitment and retention efforts are finally starting to bear some positive fruit. The new changes include several added and adjusted routes, as well as the return of many departures that were previously cancelled due to low driver availability.

https://www.halifax.ca/transportation/halifax-transit/service-adjustments

In less positive news, the long awaited roll out of some form of electronic fare payment for Halifax Transit has been delayed once again, with no clear timeline in sight: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-transit-s-electronic-ticket-system-delayed-again-1.6946752

TRANSIT SYSTEMS AROUND THE REGION SEE CONTINUED PASSENGER GROWTH, PILOT NEW INITIATIVES

Municipal transit systems throughout the Maritimes have been continuing to see growth in passenger numbers, due to a combination of returns to pre-pandemic commuting patterns, population growth, and perhaps some shift to transit with increasing fuel prices.

St. John’s Metrobus has been struggling to keep up: https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6971117

Cape Breton Transit is adding new routes, as a boom in international students in Sydney drives high demand: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/expanded-transit-services-coming-to-cape-breton-1.6948086

Codiac Transpo ridership is up considerably over pre-pandemic levels: https://globalnews.ca/news/9726264/moncton-codiac-transpo-public-transit-increase/

Saint John continues to experiment with electric on-demand buses: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/electric-bus-on-demand-service-1.6946154

Fredericton could be closer to seeing Sunday service, with a new collective agreement with transit employees: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/fredericton-transit-sunday-bus-transit-1.6898574

In PEI, the provincial and federal governments announced investments to electrify Charlottetown’s bus fleet: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/news/the-governments-of-canada-and-prince-edward-island-invest-in-the-expansion-and-electrification

WE NEED YOUR HELP! CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

We at TAA feel that these news updates are a useful way to keep our members and supporters updated on important transportation news in the region, and we’ve heard from folks who enjoy reading and following along. Unfortunately, this work is time consuming, and as an all-volunteer organization we are often stretched for bandwidth to keep these going, while also trying to focus on our core advocacy work.

We can always use help with this work. Do you have a particular story you’re interested in and following closely? Can you write up a short description of the issue, an update on developments, or some local perspective on what’s happening? As you can see from past issues, this doesn’t have to be lengthy or in-depth, but it always helps to have a bit of perspective from someone who has been following the issue. This doesn’t have to be a regular recurring contribution either – anything you can contribute in a given month is welcome!

We also have a publication for our membership, The Bulletin, which is focused more on longer-form content, analysis, and opinion pieces. We’re also always interested in submissions for this publications. If you’re interested, have a look at some recent past publications for ideas about what that content looks like, and please reach out if you have something you’d like to contribute.

If you have ideas for stories for either this newsletter or The Bulletin, feel free to reach out any time. You can email your stories, ideas, and any other feedback to atlantic@transportaction.ca

We are also always looking for volunteers to support our advocacy work, and to potentially join our board of directors. If that’s something you’d be interested in and feel you could contribute to, please let us know.

Atlantic Transport News – April 2023

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Welcome to the April Atlantic Transport News. Here’s a look at what you’ll find in this edition:

NEW FERRY FOR MARINE ATLANTIC HAS BEEN LAUNCHED

Already wearing Marine Atlantic’s colours and logo, this as yet unnamed ferry has recently been launched at a shipyard in China. The vessel is being built for international ferry operator Stena Line, which will lease it on completion to the Canadian Crown corporation for five years. PHOTO – Marine Atlantic

A new addition to Marine Atlantic’s fleet is just a little more than a year away from entering service. The E-Flexer-class ferry is being built for international ferry operator Stena Line at the Chinese state-owned Jinling Shipyard. She was floated out of drydock on March 28, and is now in an adjacent water berth where the bulk of the mechanical, electrical, and interior outfitting will occur over the next several months.

On completion, the new ship – as yet unnamed – will be leased to the federal Crown corporation for a five-year term. Marine Atlantic will have an option to purchase at the end of that period if the vessel proves to be satisfactory to its needs. The company expects the new ferry will arrive in Canada in the spring of 2024, and plans to introduce her on the seasonal Argentia service next June. It hasn’t been officially confirmed, but it would appear that the lease on MV Atlantic Vision – an essential part of the fleet for some 15 years – will be terminated on delivery of the new ship. Although not designed as a “cruise ferry” like the Vision, the new build will offer a similar number of passenger cabins, with the added feature of “sleeping pods” to accommodate single travellers.

“The [new]vessel is designed to meet the changing needs of our customers, and combines key priorities such as improved maneuverability, safety and accessibility while minimizing environmental impacts, to provide a modern, efficient, and reliable ferry service,” said Marine Atlantic spokesperson Darrell Mercer.

A statement from Stena Line said the new ship is 202.9 metres long, 27.8 metres wide, and has a draft of 6.45 metres. It can accommodate 1,100 people and has a lane length of 2,571 metres, including a 476-metre lane for private cars.

Per Westling, managing director of Stena RoRo, said Marine Atlantic is an “old customer” of Stena, which delivered one ferry to the Crown corporation in 2000 and two more in 2010, all of which are still in operation. But the relationship actually dates back to the 1960s, when the first Stena vessel appeared on the North Sydney-Port aux Basques service.

“We focus on making the ship design meet the specific expectations of our customers,” Mr. Westling said. “Our E-Flexer vessels meet customer requirements, combining efficient dual-fuel engines and battery-hybrid solutions to minimize emissions.”

NORTHUMBERLAND STILL SEEKING REPLACEMENT SHIP FOR PEI

MV Confederation is scheduled to return to the Northumberland Ferries service between Wood Islands and Caribou next month, but details are still being finalized on a long-term replacement ferry for the ill-fated Holiday Island which was written off following an engineroom fire last summer. PHOTO – Northumberland Ferries

The seasonal ferry service between Wood Islands PEI and Caribou NS is set to return on May 1, but a second vessel for the summer peak period was still not confirmed as of this writing. While MV Confederation was undergoing refit at the Newfoundland Dockyard, officials of Northumberland Ferries Limited were working to finalize short-term arrangements for a second vessel to serve the run during the 2023 summer peak.

Company vice-president Mark Wilson was not in a position to reveal the target ship, but he told the Eastern Graphic that he was very confident of a successful outcome in the negotiations. Last year’s temporary replacement was leased from the Quebec provincial ferry corporation STQ, following an engineroom fire that put the 52-year-old MV Holiday Island permanently out of commission. The ancient veteran is currently being scrapped at Sheet Harbour NS, after it was determined that repairs could not be economically justified.

Mr. Wilson acknowledged that this season’s temporary replacement will likely come with strings attached, as did last year’s. He said a more consistent interim vessel will be needed over the next few years, and that’s what NFL is looking for.

“We don’t want to be repeating this process every summer,” he told the newspaper, noting that the 2022 emergency replacement was subject to being recalled at short notice, as it was the designated relief vessel for one of STQ’s regular routes. He added that his company recognizes how important the service is, agreeing with a comment from Blair Aiken, president of the Eastern PEI Chamber of Commerce.

“Every consideration must be given to the continuity of service that’s required for the eastern region of the Island,” Mr. Aiken said. “A temporary replacement, as much as it might be appreciated, isn’t really addressing the issue.”

Other observers – Transport Action Atlantic included – believe the federal government waited far too long to begin planning replacement of the aging Holiday Island, and that the process should have begun years before the shipboard fire that ended her long and faithful career. As it now stands, it will be at least four more years before a new ferry can be designed, tendered and constructed. And by then it will be time to plan for replacing the Confederation, which entered service in 1993.

NB GOVERNMENT HOSTS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYMPOSIUM

A large turnout from across New Brunswick and elsewhere attended a two-day symposium on Public and Community Transportation in Fredericton on March 22-23. PHOTO – Ted Bartlett

There’s some renewed optimism that the Government of New Brunswick may be adopting a more positive view on public transportation, in the wake of a well-attended symposium sponsored recently by the provincial Economic and Social Transit Corporation (ESIC). The two-day event at the Delta Fredericton attracted some 200 attendees from within the province and from other jurisdictions eager to share their advice and success stories. And, significantly, three members of Premier Blaine Higgs’ cabinet made an appearance with all three expressing their support for better transportation options in New Brunswick.

It just may mark a turning point in the governing PC Party’s attitude toward transportation in general and public transit in particular. The Higgs government has left millions in federal transit funding on the table in recent years, after declining to match the offer with matching provincial dollars. The premier once famously and flippantly remarked that “Fredericton doesn’t need a subway” – while ignoring the reality that the capital city certainly could benefit from more efficient bus transit with service seven days a week.

The minister responsible for ESIC, Dorothy Shephard, was brimming with enthusiasm in a statement released after the symposium concluded.

“The issue of transportation is important to everyone in our province,” she said, “allowing our residents to move for reasons such as employment, health, training and leisure. It was a pleasure to discuss various opportunities for our province with such a dedicated group of passionate and experienced participants and guest speakers.”

It would seem Minister Shephard supports the philosophy expressed by a number of symposium participants: that public transportation is for everybody – not just the socially disadvantaged. The event provided an opportunity to learn more about the current context in New Brunswick, leading models in the Maritimes and Canada, regulations and policy considerations, available funding, and networking. Municipal public transit as well as accessible and active transportation were also addressed.

New Brunswick Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Jeff Carr, Social Development Minister Dorothy Shephard, and Local Government Minister Daniel Allain ham it up for the camera during an evening reception at the Public and Community Transportation Symposium in Fredericton on March 22. PHOTO – ESIC

The stated objective of the symposium was to lay the foundation for integrated regional transport strategies in connection with the reform of local governance and the provincial plan to overcome poverty. A key component is the development and implementation of regional plans to increase the accessibility, affordability and availability of transportation services.

“The Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation is pleased to have brought together stakeholders, funders and transportation providers during the symposium,” said Jean Allain, chair of the corporation’s board. “We need the collaboration of all stakeholders to ensure that residents of the province will benefit from partnership arrangements for transportation. I believe we are on track.”

DETAILS TRICKLE OUT ABOUT VIA HEP TESTING, WHILE FEDS GIVE LITTLE FUNDING SUPPORT

An unoccupied LRC car brings up the tail end of this Corridor HEP consist, shortly after the buffer car requirement was added in October 2022. With HEP testing results looking positive, the buffers may soon be a thing of the past. PHOTO – Tim Hayman

The testing of VIA Rail’s stainless steel “HEP” equipment has been underway since the beginning of the year, with several cars sent to CAD rail services in Montreal for tear-down inspections, and a smaller group sent to the National Research Council’s facility in Ottawa for destructive compression testing. The testing will confirm whether the cars are safe for continued operation, and what interventions may be needed to keep them operating for the remainder of their service lives. In the interim, all trains operating with HEP equipment have required unoccupied “buffer” cars at the front and rear of consists.

Formal details haven’t yet been released, but rail enthusiast and blogger Eric Gagnon received the most detailed breakdown of results to date via an Access to Information request, which he published on his Trackside Treasure blog. Overall, the results so far have been positive, and while some defects have been identified there does not appear to be anything of critical concern that would require the fleet to be withdrawn immediately. Based on both these reports and other unofficial sources, it sounds like the buffer car requirement may also be removed in the near future, a move that would help free up more equipment to be put back into revenue service.

Whether this testing goes well or not, it’s still clear that the extended service life of this equipment is limited and fleet replacement plans will need to continue moving ahead. VIA has begun this process and issued a request for information to interested suppliers earlier this year, but a formal procurement can’t get underway without government funding commitments. The 2023 federal budget didn’t offer anything for fleet replacement, though the budget does allocate $210 million over five years to “conduct maintenance on its trains on routes outside the Québec City–Windsor Corridor and to maintain levels of service across its network.” It’s not yet clear what this funding will actually cover, how much will be focused on the required repairs from the testing outcomes, or how much might be allocated to further refurbishment work. Regardless, the end of the line is still within sight, and fleet replacement plans need to continue to stay on the radar is there is to be any long-term future or true modernization of VIA’s long distance services.

NO GOOD NEWS FOR RAIL IN SYDNEY PORT ANNOUNCEMENT

Novaporte CEO Albert Barbusci announced plans for an offshore wind turbine storage facility on part of the land where the Cape Breton Regional Municipality still hopes a container terminal will be built. PHOTO – Tom Ayers/CBC News

There was a significant announcement on March 23 concerning the proposed Novaporte development on Sydney harbour – but it didn’t do anything to assure a more secure future for Cape Breton’s dormant and derelict rail line.

Construction is expected to start this year on land that had been set aside in the Sydney harbour for a proposed container terminal, but it won’t be what the developer initially sought. Instead, Novaporte plans to build a facility on Cape Breton Regional Municipality land that will import parts for large offshore wind turbines.

Company CEO Albert Barbusci said that he’s still working on the container terminal project, but an opportunity came up in what many expect will be a burgeoning offshore wind industry, and it would fit in with a container terminal.

“Really what we’ve done is we’ve doubled down. We’ve doubled the opportunity,” Mr. Barbusci told CBC News. The wind turbine facility will be operated by Blue Water Shipping of Denmark, a company with 25 years experience in European offshore wind logistics.

Both the municipality and the Membertou First Nation, which purchased a one-eighth stake in Novaporte several years ago, were delighted at the announcement.

“This is the first time since I’ve been on council that we’ve seen such a significant move forward and the asset is actually going to be used now to create that value, to create that economic driver for our community,” said Mayor Amanda McDougall. “It’s not a container terminal, but it’s a start. Passing up an opportunity to get into the offshore wind industry to me would be such a shame. and we would be in the same place as Cape Breton was decades ago when we lost coal and steel.”

Mr. Barbusci said he expects construction to begin later this year, with the turbine marshalling area ready to begin operating in 2026. The container terminal proposal is ready to go, he said, but it needs a working railway. The wind turbine marshalling project does not need rail. Ships would deliver the large parts for storage, and companies building offshore wind farms would pick up the components and assemble them at sea. But he clearly hasn’t given up on the container terminal plan.

“We want jobs. We want revitalization, but we can’t ignore this green opportunity. It’s too good. It’s too big, and it really will get done.”

UNION DISSATISFIED AT HALIFAX TRANSIT DRIVER SAFEGUARDS

According to their union president, transit drivers in Halifax aren’t satisfied with the steps the municipality is taking to enhance their safety. Although transit violence isn’t generally widespread in Atlantic Canada, the union maintains that attacks on drivers are on the rise, and that HRM’s latest initiatives don’t go far enough. PHOTO – Halifax Transit

The Halifax Regional Municipality has invited quotes to supply a driver protection system aboard Halifax Transit’s buses, but the Amalgamated Transit Union says the plan doesn’t go far enough. Local 508 president Shane O’Leary told CBC News that the protection systems are a starting point for ensuring driver safety, but more needs to be done.

The municipality’s request for quotation issued on April 1 invites pricing on up to 370 units of “slide and stow” protection systems that have “a sliding partition that only the operator can adjust,” and “prevent sudden intrusion into the bus operator’s area,” among other requirements.

“The shields will help if they’re installed properly and done right and it’s a good quality shield. But that’s not enough,” Mr. O’Leary said in an interview, adding that attacks on transit drivers have been on the rise in recent years, and many have involved groups of youths. Creating a transit police force with the power to issue fines and remove passengers from buses would be a further step toward protecting transit operators, he said.

HRM spokesperson Maggie-Jane Spray said in an e-mailed statement to CBC that recently approved funding from the regional council in the upcoming budget year will mean that “all electric buses will be equipped with operator safety barriers when they arrive, beginning in late 2023.”

When asked if the city has kept a record of incidents of violence against drivers, she said the number of incidents “is difficult to quantify, as not all incidents of aggression or violence would meet the threshold for an incident report, as opposed to a situation involving an assault for which a Halifax Transit supervisor and/or police would be called.

CODIAC TRANSPO PROPOSES FREE RIDES FOR KIDS

Codiac Transpo is proposing to allow children under 13 to ride for free. But lest you feel they are trend-setting – think again. They are only following the lead of what Halifax and St. John’s already have in place. PHOTO – Ted Bartlett

Kids under 13 in the Greater Moncton area will likely be riding transit for free by the end of the summer. Codiac Transpo is proposing to eliminate fares for children when accompanied by an adult. Riverview and Dieppe councils have already approved the concept, and a presentation is planned at Moncton City Hall in the near future.

Angela Allain, head of Codiac Transpo told Riverview Council that offering free service to that cohort will get them accustomed to transit use, and help build ridership over the long term. She anticipates that increased transit usage will eventually offset the initial loss of farebox revenue.

It’s not exactly a unique idea, but rather part of a nationwide trend. Ms. Allain said 27 other transit systems in Canada already offer a similar youth fare concession. (Some systems are even more generous.) These include the TTC and Go Transit in Ontario, as well as Halifax Transit, St. John’s Metrobus, Island Transit and Charlottetown’s T3 here in the Atlantic region.

Currently children under six ride free on Codiac Transpo. The same applies on the Fredericton and Saint John systems. There’s no indication yet that the other two New Brunswick cities are proposing a similar initiative.
 
FIRE SHUTS DOWN ST. JOHN’S AIRPORT FOR TWO DAYS

The St. John’s Regional Fire Department descended on St. John’s Airport in full force on March 24 when a late-night fire broke out in the nearly-empty terminal building. There were no injuries, but there was sufficient smoke and water damage to force cancellation of all passenger operations in the building for nearly 48 hours. PHOTO – Keith Gosse/The Telegram

A late-night fire on Friday, March 24, caused significant smoke and water damage to the passenger terminal at St. John’s Airport – sufficient to put the facility out of business for almost two full days.

The outbreak is believed to have started around 11:30 pm in the ceiling above a children’s play area adjacent to gate 11. Staff were first alerted to the fire by smoke detector alarms and the facility was quickly evacuated as emergency responders located the blaze, airport CEO Dennis Hogan told the Telegram. The building was nearly empty at that late hour, and there were no injuries reported.

“There were some flames visible at one point in time and both our emergency fire responders here at the airport and St. John’s Regional (Fire Department) worked very diligently and quickly to suppress the fire and really contain it from going any further,” he said. Initially management had hoped to resume operations on Saturday, but it turned out that damage was more severe than initially thought, and flight operations did not resume until Sunday evening. Some 36 flights were impacted by the fire, but an undetermined number of others had already been cancelled due to a late winter storm.

Passengers board a PAL flight at the airline’s maintenance hangar on March 26th. Being locally based, they were able to move their passenger operations to the opposite side of the airport when fire shut down the terminal building, thereby minimizing disruption of their flight schedule. PHOTO – PAL Airlines

PAL Airlines was able to take advantage of being based in St. John’s by moving operations to its maintenance hangar, so the impact on its flights was minimal. All other airlines using YYT were completely out of business for the duration of the terminal closure. First flights resumed on Sunday evening, March 26.

Airport officials said the fire does not appear to have been of suspicious origin, but no cause has been released.
 
PORTER UPS THE ANTE ON ITS EASTERN PROMOTION

Porter Airlines is clearly aiming to cash in on WestJet’s retreat from eastern Canada, and the Atlantic region in particular. This recent customer e-mail suggests to travellers in this part of the country that WestJet has abandoned them, while Porter is committed to an ongoing. “Mr. Porter” is reaching out to members of the Calgary-based carrier’s frequent flyer plan, assuring that a warm welcome awaits them at VIP Porter. Image from Porter promotional e-mail

There’s further evidence this month that Porter Airlines is aggressively trying to build market share in Atlantic Canada. The upstart airline’s raccoon mascot – known as “Mr. Porter” – is reaching out to prospective and existing customers through social media posts and e-mail blasts to promote their frequent flyer plan and unique economy-class perks.  Clearly taking aim at WestJet, the ad material asks travellers if they are “feeling abandoned”, and assures them that Porter will match their status with the other carrier.

As we’ve reported earlier in this space, WestJet has drastically curtailed its services to Atlantic Canada in recent months, while Porter is increasing both frequency and the number of destinations served in the region.

Atlantic Transport News – March 2023

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Welcome to the March Atlantic Transport News.

Here’s a look at what you’ll find in this edition:

PEI EXTENDS AFFORDABLE TRANSIT PASS PROGRAM

Residents of PEI will enjoy another full year of discounted $20 monthly island-wide transit passes. The extension of the popular program was announced just before the start of the current provincial election campaign. PHOTO – Island Transit

Transit hasn’t been a high-profile discussion item during the current provincial election campaign on Prince Edward Island, but that’s not a cause of concern for public transportation advocates. Apparently it’s really a motherhood issue. Shortly before Premier Dennis King visited the lieutenant governor to initiate the April 3rd vote, his Progressive Conservative government announced another extension to the widely-acclaimed “toonie transit” and discounted pass program – this time for a full year until March 31, 2024. Even if the voters decide not to renew Mr. King’s mandate, it’s considered highly unlikely that any other politician would reverse the popular initiative.

The program is intended to both support the continued growth of public transit and help citizens with the cost of living. The provincial government will provide funding to ensure that transit fares remain the same: $2 adult fare for a single ride and just $20 for a monthly unlimited pass usable on both the island-wide network and the municipal system in the Charlottetown area. The monthly pass is only $10 for seniors and post-secondary students, and all children up to grade 12 ride for free.

“Public transit in Prince Edward Island reached a significant milestone of one million rides in 2022, and we want to keep pace with the growing demand for transit and at the same time, support expansion of the service where gaps have been identified by ridership,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Cory Deagle. “By creating an affordable and reliable Island-wide public transit system, we are reducing transportation barriers for Islanders and helping to create a cleaner, more sustainable province.”

The Island Transit news release reported that as of February 2023, the average number of monthly passes was 1,255, with approximately 9,000 one-way trips for children and students k-12 occurring each month. Meanwhile, ridership on Charlottetown’s T3 Transit is currently up a whopping 55% from pre-pandemic levels.

A new year-round route connecting the North Rustico area to Charlottetown will begin this spring. The Province is currently working with operator Coach Atlantic to determine schedules. This new route is additional to the summer public transit service supporting tourism operations and employees, which will resume by June 19. Last year’s summer service saw an average of 97 daily one-way trips over the months of July and August.

Additionally, the Province is working with the Capital Area Transit Coordinating Committee (CATCC) to expand transit in Charlottetown, Cornwall and Stratford with new routes, added evening services, and extended weekend hours on some of the most popular routes.

ELECTRIC BUS PASSES WITH FLYING COLOURS IN HALIFAX TRIAL

Other cities are following the lead

A group of HRM councillors and Halifax Transit staff prepare to board an all-electric bus for a recent demonstration run. No issues were encountered with either hilly terrain or winter operating conditions during the testing, and the first 20 vehicles are expected to be in service by mid-2024. SUBMITTED PHOTO

A new era in public transit for the Halifax Regional Municipality is less than a year away, with the first deliveries from an order of 60 all-electric buses expected before the end of this year. All of the vehicles should be ready for service by spring 2024, and officials are pleased at the outcome of an extensive testing program just completed under real-world conditions. A Nova LFSe+ demonstrator bus was put through its paces under winter conditions in February.

“Testing was designed to cover a representative spectrum of typical driving conditions in revenue service, including varied terrain, traffic, weather, and gross vehicle weight,” says Halifax Transit’s executive director Dave Reage. “Results of that testing indicated no significant concerns with respect to performance or range, even in low temperatures or snow conditions.”

He says the new battery powered buses will be added to the current fleet based out of the Ragged Lake Transit Centre facility. An RFP for construction of four new lanes and installation of charging equipment for the Ragged Lake Transit Centre facility has been released, and construction is expected to begin very soon. Upon completion of the new extension, electric buses are expected to be in revenue service by spring 2024.

Councillor Waye Mason wasn’t shy about his enthusiasm for the new vehicles. “What a game changer,” he tweeted after taking a demonstration ride. “For folks inside the bus, no shake, rattle and roll, just a gentle whine as it climbed Duke Street from a dead stop. Plenty of power. Outside the bus, no gut-grabbing bassy rumble as the bus goes by, and no dark cloud of diesel particulates. And, of course, far less GHGs…This is a good future for us!”

Other cities in the region are looking towards a greener transit future as well, but aren’t nearly as far down the road as Halifax. In St. John’s, funding was announced on March 1 for a $200,000 feasibility study to look at electrifying the city’s Metrobus fleet. The City and the federal government are sharing the cost of the research, which will include a risk assessment, cost and saving analysis and identifying infrastructure requirements.

Metrobus Transit in St. John’s is taking the first steps toward electrification with a $200,000 feasibility study announced on March 2. Shown here at the bus depot are (l to r) Metrobus general Manager Judy Powell, Sue Connor of the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium, St. John’s East MP Joanne Thompson, and Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’leary. PHOTO – Saltwire Network

St. John’s East MP Joanne Thompson was on hand for the announcement, describing the study as a “critical first step” and a “significant milestone to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions.”

Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’leary told the Telegram that while there is no set timeline for when residents can expect to see electric buses in St. John’s, the project is a priority for the city.

“Lots of times in our province, we are often a little bit late to the game, but I think our population has been a bit of a challenge in many respects,” she said. “We know the importance of this energy efficiency, how important it is. Forty-nine per cent of our carbon emissions are coming from transportation. It has to happen and the time is now.”

The study, which is slated to be completed by June, is funded through the federal Zero Emission Transit Fund and is being completed by the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC), a non-profit organization designated by the federal government as the designated national planning service for the fund.

Meanwhile in Moncton, City Council has just approved the purchase of four new diesel buses for the Codiac Transpo fleet, at a total estimated cost of $2.6 million. Approximately 40 percent of the expenditure will be federal infrastructure funding.

Planning for conversion to electric vehicles is underway at the transit agency, but the urgent need to replace four obsolete gasoline-powered buses that were well past their best-before date meant that the investment in diesel technology was unavoidable. A presentation to Council pointed out that the new low-floor vehicles will be 31 percent more fuel-efficient than the ones they are replacing, are compliant with the latest emission standards, offer much lower maintenance costs.

Codiac Transpo told the Times & Transcript that the planning and research currently underway is intended to assist the agency in making the best choices on such issues as battery size, charging technology, and the timing of the transition to an electric fleet.

NOVA SCOTIA FACES COSTLY DECISIONS ON MAJOR BRIDGE

The Seal Island Bridge in Cape Breton is a critical link in the Trans-Canada Highway, but the 60-year-old structure is showing its age and some expensive decisions will have to be made in the near future. PHOTO – Wikipedia

Anyone who’s ever driven the Trans-Canada Highway through Cape Breton can’t help but be impressed with the majestic Seal Island Bridge. The massive 716-metre long steel and concrete structure spans the Great Bras d’Or Channel between Kelly’s Mountain and Boularderie Island. It’s a critical piece of transportation infrastructure, not only for the Sydney area but also for the ferry service to Newfoundland. And now, the bridge is showing its age, and the time is fast approaching where some difficult – and potentially expensive – decisions will need to be made.

CBC News has reported that the Province of Nova Scotia is now looking at options to extend its life and plan for its future replacement. When completed in 1961, construction cost was nearly $4.7 million, not including major approach roads. A replacement would doubtless be many times that, but the Public Works Department hasn’t yet begun to crunch those numbers. Two decades ago, a three-year project just to fully replace the deteriorated deck came in at over $15 million. So whatever solution is ultimately decided, it won’t come cheap.

A casual observer will notice evidence of some cracked concrete and corroded metal, but Will Crocker, structures asset management engineer with Nova Scotia Public Works, says such symptoms are common on a bridge of that age. He told the CBC he’s quite confident that it is still perfectly safe. “I wouldn’t hesitate to travel across the bridge,” he said.

He acknowledged, hoswever, that recent reports and inspections show the superstructure and concrete piers are deteriorating. A full inspection of the bridge by engineering consultants in 2018-19 rated the various components in accordance with national standards, and identified areas needing attention.

“As long as those requirements or defects are identified in a timely manner, which they have been, and are repaired in a timely manner, which is what we’re planning to do for this upcoming season, then there will be no problems,” Mr. Crocker said.

For the longer term, Public Works is currently awaiting a cost-benefit analysis from engineering firm COWI, the company that designed and planned replacement of the decking on the Angus L. MacDonald Bridge in Halifax, otherwise known as “The Big Lift.” The firm did its own inspection and added electronic monitors on the bridge’s structure. COWI’s report is expected to offer recommendations on extending the life of the bridge and eventually replacing it.  “At some point in the future, the bridge will have to be replaced, says Don Maillet, executive director of highway design and construction with Public Works. “How that’s going to be done and how much remedial work will be required is all part of the cost-benefit analysis.”

MAJOR HIGHWAY EXPENDITURES IN 2023 FOR NS, NL

Progress continues on the twinning of Nova Scotia Route 104 in Antigonish County, with completion expected in late 2023. The Province is spending about $450 million on road work in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. PHOTO – Dexter Nova Alliance

Four twinning projects on three of Nova Scotia’s major highways will be the main contributors to an expenditure of about $450 million on road work in fiscal 2023-2024. Meanwhile, the Province has already committed an additional $583 million for six new major highway projects, to be constructed between 2025 and 2030.

“This is one of the largest highway infrastructure investments to date,” said Public Works Minister Kim Masland. “This investment will not only make our highways and bridges safer, it will also enable the road-building industry time to plan and prepare for these major investments.”

Among Nova Scotia’s larger projects are:

  • Highway 103, Argyle Interchange (Exit 32 and 32A)
  • Highway 103, twinning between Exit 6 (Hubbards) and Exit 7 (East River)
  • Highway 103, twinning between Exit 7 (East River) and Exit 8 (Chester)
  • Highway 104, twinning between Taylors Road and Paqtnkek (Antigonish County)
  • Highway 107, twinning from Burnside to west of Loon Lake (Halifax Regional Municipality)
  • Tancook ferry infrastructure development (Lunenburg County)

Meanwhile, Newfoundland and Labrador has also announced what Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Elvis Loveless terms an “unprecedented” expenditure on highway construction this year, totalling $225 million. The emphasis will be on upgrading infrastructure vulnerable to the effects of climate change, the minister told CBC News, adding he was anticipating further announcements pending additional funding from the federal government.

“We believe it’s going to be a good year for the paving industry, contractors, workers,” he told reporters during an announcement in St. John’s.

In the past, politicians have come under fire for favouring districts represented by the governing party, but Minister Loveless insists politics has been removed from the process of deciding where tax dollars are spent.

“We’ve put together a solid, balanced plan for road construction projects throughout the province,” he said. “We’re not looking at it from a lens of districts, but through a lens of the advice from the engineers.” 

Funding strategies are also influenced by factors such as traffic volumes, the need to support the tourism industry, commercial transportation and industrial sectors, and input from drivers. The plan also includes roads with lower traffic volumes, but with significant deterioration. Most contracts should be tendered by the end of May. Ministers Masland and Loveless both indicated that plans were being announced early to give the construction industry time to prepare, helping to ensure timely completion of projects.

PORTER AIRLINES CONTINUES TO SPREAD ITS WINGS IN REGION

WestJet reveals yet more route reductions

One of Porter Airlines’ new Embraer E195-E2 jet aircraft on the tarmac at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. Jet service from YHZ to Toronto Pearson began in February, supplementing the turboprop service the airline will continue offering to downtown Bill Bishop Airport. Porter is ramping up service to other Atlantic Canada locations, even as WestJet continues to reduce its presence here. PHOTO – Courtesy of Halifax Airport Authority

Porter Airlines is continuing to strengthen its footprint in Atlantic Canada, even as WestJet reveals further cutbacks in its service to the region. The latest development as reported by New Brunswick news media is the elimination of WestJet’s Moncton to Toronto service, effective May 1. The route had been reduced to a skeletal tri-weekly operation for the winter months, but until recently the airline was accepting bookings for two flights daily between YQM and YYZ beginning later this spring. That option disappeared from their website in early March, but a WestJet spokesperson said in line with their new western-focused strategic direction they would instead be offering three non-stop flights a week from Moncton to Calgary and two to Edmonton.

Also disappearing indefinitely from the WestJet route map is service between Halifax and St. John’s, which had been suspended for the winter months. Likewise, until recently bookings were being accepted for the resumption of two flights daily between YYT and YHZ beginning in early April. But St. John’s was recently delisted as a destination out of Halifax on their website, and a WestJet spokesperson confirmed to TAA that the YYT-YHZ route will not be returning to their network as part of future schedules. There will continue to be a direct daily flight between St. John’s and Toronto, with connections to other destinations, as well as non-stop seasonal flights to Edmonton and Calgary on varying schedules.

For its part, Porter Airlines is clearly in growth mode, and appears intent on claiming the traffic that WestJet has abandoned. Public affairs director Brad Cicero tells TAA they will operate four daily flights between Halifax and Toronto this summer – two to Pearson using their new Embraer E195-E2 jets, and two to the downtown Billy Bishop Airport with their familiar Q-400 turboprops. There will also be three Q-400 flights daily to both Ottawa and St. John’s, and two to Montreal. Moncton and Fredericton will each have one daily direct flight to both Ottawa and Billy Bishop. And, as announced last month, Porter will inaugurate service to Charlottetown this year, with two daily non-stop Q-400 flights to Ottawa, from where connections may be made to other destinations.

Mr. Cicero confirmed that direct St. John’s to Pearson has been identified as a potential future route as the airline takes delivery of more of the new jets. They expect to have 30 of the Embraer planes in their fleet by year-end, with firm orders placed for 20 more and options for an additional 50. He said, however, there are no plans at this time to introduce jet service between Halifax and St. John’s. The Porter spokesperson, who’s been with the airline since its earliest days, told TAA that they have a very high level of confidence in their growth-oriented business plan. He added that they have been much less impacted by pandemic-related staffing issues than other carriers, even though they were shut down entirely for more than a year. This may in part be related to the age profile of their workforce, with fewer furloughed employees choosing to retire permanently, and a higher proportion returning to active duty when service resumed. Porter currently has about a thousand more employees than it did in 2019.

ST. JOHN’S PURSUING NEW OVERSEAS FLIGHT OPTIONS

Provincial government involved in talks with Aer Lingus

A quick glance at this handout photo might lead one to think this Aer Lingus 737 is flying over Bell Island on approach to runway 11 at YYT. In reality, the locale is most likely Ireland’s famous Cliffs of Moher. But if talks between the provincial government and the Irish flag carrier come to fruition, St. John’s International Airport may once again get a direct overseas connection. PHOTO – Aer Lingus

It’s been four years since St. John’s International Airport hosted direct scheduled passenger flights across the North Atlantic – and the local business community, the airport authority and the provincial government have all but given up on Canadian carriers. WestJet has clearly withdrawn entirely from any overseas flying out of Atlantic Canada, and Air Canada has said it has no plans to resume the direct flight from YYT to London Heathrow that was abandoned during the Boeing 737 MAX safety groundings in 2019. Now the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador government has stepped into the picture, and is actively pursuing the potential of reconnecting air links with Europe.

One of the first pitches was to Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus. Premier Andrew Furey and Tourism Minister Steve Crocker met with the airline’s director of network planning in last fall to discuss prospects for a Dublin-to-St. John’s route. Eastbound flying time between the two airports is less than five hours.

“Obviously the re-establishment of a European route is extremely important to us, re-establishment of a direct U.S. route is important to us, as is regional connectivity,” Minister Crocker told CBC News.

He said government has an important role to play, but acknowledged that it’s a tough time as the industry emerges from a COVID-19-related slump. “The thing we hear consistently from airlines when we talk to them is they’re trying themselves – as we are as a province – to get back to pre-pandemic numbers. Their first priority is to get back to their routes that they had pre-pandemic.”

ICONIC COW BANISHED FROM CHARLOTTETOWN AIRPORT

Wowie the cow boards a truck on her way to a new home – as yet unidentified. The iconic statue welcomed travellers at Charlottetown Airport for years and was the focus of countless photo-ops, but she was occupying space needed for expansion of terminal facilities. Wowie’s owner, the Cows Ice Cream Company, has promised she’ll reappear somewhere on the Island, sometime soon. PHOTO – Mary Beth Malone

A long-familiar sight in the arrivals area at Charlottetown has been banished from the premises. The iconic cow statue – trademark of the equally-iconic Cows ice cream company – had been the subject of many a photo-op over the past 10 years. But, alas, no more!

Wowie, as she is affectionately known, was unceremoniously loaded on a truck earlier this month, en route to a new and as yet undisclosed home.

Charlottetown Airport Authority CEO Doug Newson told CBC News the cow had to go to make room for renovations.

“This project, which will provide a refreshing new look to the arrivals area, combined with our capacity constraints in the peak the summer months, unfortunately meant that it was time for the cow to be relocated from YYG,” he said.

Cows marketing director Mary Beth Malone said Wowie’s departure has caused an outpouring of affection on social media.

“People from all around the world were sharing their memories of how Wowie at the airport was when they realized that they were on Prince Edward Island, and all the great memories that they had seeing her there,” she said.

Wowie has been taken back to the Cows Creamery store, while company officials figure out a new permanent home for her, Malone told the CBC.

“It’s almost like the end of an era … and it’s nice to hear that she has had such a positive impact.”

MARITIME BUS RETURNS TO VIA STATION IN HALIFAX

The Maritime Bus ticket counter inside the VIA Rail station in Halifax can be seen open for business at the beginning of March 2023. PHOTO – Tim Hayman

The Maritime Bus ticket office has returned to the inside of the VIA Rail station in downtown Halifax. Several years ago, the office inside the station was closed and passengers buying or picking up tickets had to use the counter in the parcel room, tucked away in a rather unappealing part of the terminal. Bus passengers could still access the waiting room in the station, but then had no convenient way to access ticket agents from the waiting area.

Early in 2023, the former ticket office inside the station next to the VIA Rail counter was reopened, providing a welcome sight. Though the intermodal arrangements between the two transportation providers have faltered in recent years, having another location with both ground transport options readily available is a benefit to those travelling on either mode. A ticket agent on duty at the beginning of March reported that it was nice to be back in the much more pleasant environment, and no doubt passengers will feel similarly!