Atlantic Transport News – Budget News and More!

Welcome to this special edition of Atlantic Transport News. The 2024 Federal budget was released yesterday, and it contains several positive items for Atlantic Canada. There have also been a couple of other interesting news developments of late, so let’s get right into it! Here’s what you’ll find in this edition:

BUDGET 2024: VIA RAIL LONG-DISTANCE FLEET RENEWAL GETS THE GREEN LIGHT

VIA Rail’s new trains in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor are modernizing rail travel in this busy region. With the go ahead in Budget 2024, the rest of the country should also be able to benefit from new trains over the coming decade. (PHOTO – Tim Hayman)

The 2024 Federal budget was unveiled on Tuesday, April 16, and those following VIA Rail issues were watching this one closely and with a mix of anticipation and trepidation. As highlighted by VIA and outlined in our own pre-budget submission and advocacy, this year marked a critical point for the fleet that supports all of VIA’s routes outside of the Quebec-City Windsor Corridor. With the long-haul equipment expected to meet its end of life by the early to mid-2030s, procurement for a replacement fleet needs to start now if there’s any chance it will be ready for delivery in time to avoid service cuts. VIA has done considerable work to be ready to launch this, they were just waiting on the budget approval.

With this in mind, we were extremely pleased to find this line on P. 256 of the budget document, which states: “Budget 2024 proposes to provide … New funding for VIA Rail to replace its aging fleet on routes outside the Quebec City-Windsor corridor. Funding amounts are not being released to protect the government’s negotiating position for an upcoming procurement.

We absolutely welcome the government’s recognition that the procurement process must be started without further delay. The absence of detail at this stage is understandable, given the competitive nature of the process. As VIA launches into the formal procurement, hopefully within the coming months, we will continue to advocate the need to ensure that the outcome results in equipment that will be reliable under Canadian operating conditions, and in sufficient quantity to restore daily service between Montreal and Halifax.

Within this region, there is still the critical issue that track infrastructure in northern New Brunswick is in terrible shape and in need of substantial investment to bring it back to acceptable standards. This budget does nothing to directly address this, so we will continue to make that case.

Aside from these specific points, it is also encouraging to see the acknowledgement in the budget that “Canadians are increasingly switching to clean transportation options, and taking the train is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel across our country.” Let’s hope that the government will provide the supports needed to not only provide new trains for VIA’s services across the country, but also

BUDGET 2024: OTHER POSITIVES

The VIA Rail long distance funding wasn’t the only item in the budget worth highlighting. P. 258 features the heading “Reliable Transportation in Atlantic Canada”, and lists three items: “(1) $124.1 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, with $32.9 million in remaining amortization, to Marine Atlantic Inc. to support its continued operations and keep fares affordable; (2) $2.5 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to Transport Canada to freeze fares under the Ferry Services Contribution Program until December 2025; (3) and, $13.7 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to Transport Canada to negotiate a continued toll freeze on the Confederation Bridge in 2025 and 2026.”

The commitment to an ongoing freeze on Confederation Bridge tolls and federally supported ferry services is welcome, but it is somewhat concerning that the terminology regarding Marine Atlantic is somewhat vague, using the words “keep fares affordable” rather than “freeze fares”. It would be appropriate to remind government that the existing Marine Atlantic tariff is well above the level envisaged by the Terms of Union when Newfoundland joined Confederation 75 years ago.

We also welcome the commitment to public transit, particularly as it is being tied to housing projects, and TAA will continue to advocate for support to projects in this region under the Zero Emission Transit Fund and the Rural Transit Solutions Fund.

BEDFORD-HALIFAX FAST FERRY GETS FUNDING

Rendering of Halifax electric ferry (Halifax Regional Municipality)

In other recent news, the long discussed fast ferry project to link Bedford to downtown Halifax appears ready to set sail, as funding has been secured from all three levels of government to back the project. Pitched as a replacement for the now-abandoned commuter rail project, this ferry system has been a major part of Halifax’s rapid transit strategy, and will take advantage of the existing harbour to provide a more direct transit option to downtown, fully separated from the ever worsening traffic and congestion along the Bedford highway.

A new ferry terminal and intermodal hub will be built at Mill Cove, with a bridge across the CN rail line, and the downtown ferry terminal will be rebuilt to accommodate the new vessels. Five all-electric ferries will be built for the service, which will initially link these two terminals and may in the future be expanded to include stops at Larry Uteck and Shannon Park on the Dartmouth side of the harbour.

Now that it has the go ahead, the project is currently expected to be completed and operational in the 2027-28 fiscal year.

CHIGNECTO ISTHMUS – PROVINCES FORMALIZE PARTNERSHIP TO MOVE SOME WORK AHEAD

The provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have taken a step forward in collaboration on the badly needed Chignecto Isthmus project, with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) now in place between the two provinces.

The argument over funding continues, as noted in this article, but with the decade-long timeline for the project and every growing climate related concerns, any progress towards this work is welcome.

CAPE BRETON RAIL – PROVINCIAL SUBSIDY ENDS, BUT LIGHT RAIL TO BE STUDIED

This month saw a pair of back to back announcements related to Cape Breton’s long dormant rail line. The first was the potentially disappointing but unsurprising news that the provincial government would be ending the subsidy that had been provided to the railway owner to keep the dormant line across the island in place. The province cited the new ownership involvement from CN, and noted the lack of any clear business case that has yet been made for the investment to restore the line to operation. It seems that it will now come down to CN to provide some indication of their plans and case for the line, but there is yet considerable uncertainty about what their involvement will mean.

Immediately on the heals of this news was a rather surprising announcement that the province of Nova Scotia will be providing $600,000 in funding to Cape Breton University to complete a feasibility study for a light rail transit system for Cape Breton. Motivated by a surge in population in the Sydney area driven primarily by the university, which has resulted in the over-straining of Cape Breton’s limited transit system, this study will be looking at the potential development of a “battery-powered light-rail train service in CBRM, building on existing infrastructure and the rail corridor.” University president David Dingwall made a direct connection between the end of the subsidy and the funding for this study, stating that “the cancellation of the subsidy on the Cape Breton rail line has opened opportunities for something new in CBRM that will benefit the community for generations to come.” We will of course be watching this closely as it develops, and if there is a good case for the project, we hope the province will also follow through with funding to build and operate the system, not just the study.

CAPE BRETON TRANSPORTATION TOWNHALL

A group representing a variety of Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s leaders in transportation and economic development will be holding a town hall-style discussion on “The Impact of Transportation Costs on Life and Work in Unama’ki – Cape Breton” on May 6 at the Port of Sydney.

This public information session is designed to explore the importance of diversifying transportation systems on Cape Breton Island and will include a panel discussion highlighting the potential economic impacts, including employment opportunities, of an updated and diversified system of commercial shipping options. The session is co-hosted by the Cape Breton Partnership, Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Scotia Rail Development Society, Port of Sydney, and JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Tyler Mattheis, President and CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership and will focus on the need and opportunities for expanded and diversified systems for commercial shipping. Some of those opportunities could include expanded export potential, expansion of manufacturing opportunities for existing operators, and the attraction of outside investment to the Island. The panel will feature local experts on investment attraction, export, engineering, bulk shipping, and green energy.

“The CBRM, as the urban hub of Unama’ki – Cape Breton, is recognized as a key economic hub with the potential for a diverse transportation network that includes road, rail, sea, and air infrastructure,” says Tyler Mattheis. “However, without significant updates and expansion of each of these systems, the CBRM is restricted in its ability to fully contribute to a strong and growing Nova Scotia, despite the many opportunities for economic development and growth.”

“We are at a pivotal point in history where CBRM is growing, and we must continue to plan for the future,” says CBRM Mayor Amanda McDougall-Merrill. “Innovation in transportation needs to be balanced with affordability and access for all residents.”

The event will also feature a “Town Hall” discussion featuring local businesspeople who will talk about how the diversification of commercial transportation could affect their businesses as well as the lives of the residents of Unama’ki – Cape Breton.

“Our goal for hosting this event is largely public awareness and education, bringing real information and feedback directly to the public and generating discussion around the role that transportation plays in our Island’s success,” adds Megan Penney, Member Relations Coordinator of the Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The event will take place on May 6, from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM, at the Port of Sydney’s Pittman Hall. Many key stakeholders and partners are confirmed to attend the event, including the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Government of Nova Scotia, business leaders focused on developments in and around Sydney Harbour, and private sector businesses from across Unama’ki – Cape Breton.

To attend, please register by visiting TransportationTownHall.eventbrite.ca or contact info@cbregionalchamber.ca.

TRANSPORT ACTION CANADA AGM – APRIL 27

Transport Action Canada’s AGM will feature a guest presentation by author, historian, and archivist for the VIA Historical Association Christopher Greenlaw.

Transport Action Canada (TAC), TAA’s national affiliate, will be holding its annual general meeting on Saturday, April 27th. Your membership in TAA also provides you with membership in TAC, and both you and other interested supporters are welcome to join this year’s event either virtually or in-person in Ottawa.

In addition to the usual business, this year’s AGM will feature a guest presentation VIA Rail: A History of Connecting Canadians by author, historian, and archivist for the VIA Historical Association Christopher Greenlaw.

You can find all the details and register for the in-person or online event here.

A GLIMPSE OF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN …

On a closing note for this issue, commuters on the Bedford Highway in Halifax got a glimpse this past week of what could have been if the Halifax commuter rail project had gone ahead. Alstom’s Coradia iLint hydrogen-powered demonstrator unit was on its way back to Europe, having spent last summer operating on the Charlevoix railway in Quebec (for a report on that trial period from TAC president Terry Johnson, have a look here). The units arrived on flat cars, soon to be transferred to mafis and loaded on a ship. Poised in the yard at Rockingham during the evening rush hour, with the distinctive harbour features behind them, one could almost imagine they were rolling along with commuters on board, bound for Bedford. Perhaps one day…

A neat view in Halifax, but wouldn’t it be better if it weren’t on a flat car? (PHOTO – Tim Hayman)

Urgent Appeal: VIA Rail Long Distance Fleet Renewal

Dear TAA Members and Followers,

VIA Rail’s services across Canada are nearing a critical point. The fleet that supports VIA’s long distance services, including the Ocean, VIA’s last remaining service in Atlantic Canada, is rapidly approaching the end of its serviceable life. If VIA is not able to launch procurement for new equipment as soon as possible, this could mean the end of all Canadian long distance passenger service in the early 2030s.

Transport Action Atlantic and our national and regional affiliates are working hard to tell the federal government that action is needed immediately.

There are two things that you can do today to help:

  1. Sign the House of Commons petition, which calls for both long distance fleet funding and other critical VIA improvements
  2. Fill out the Budget 2024 survey to voice your support for funding for VIA’s long distance fleet renewal.

Please read on below for more details on how to take action today, and please share this message with those you know who also support the future of passenger rail in this country.

As always, your support is critical to keep passenger rail on track in Atlantic Canada and beyond!

Sincerely,

Tim Hayman
President, Transport Action Atlantic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

House of Commons Petition

A campaign is underway to help VIA Rail maintain its services and increase on-time performance as well as make other improvements to ensure it can deliver sustainable rail transportation across Canada, through a petition to the House of Commons.

Created by Transport Action Canada (www.transportaction.ca), a national public transportation and passenger advocacy group (TAA’s national affiliate), the petition asks that the government ensure funding to renew VIA Rail’s long-distance fleet is provided in the 2024 federal budget, to avert service cuts in Atlantic and Western Canada.

VIA is entering a second federal budget cycle asking for funding to replace its aging long-distance fleet. Engineering reports show that the fleet is nearing the end of its serviceable life, with many cars at 70 years of age. Given the timeline for ordering and manufacturing, if funding is not provided this spring to order a new, fully accessible, modern fleet, VIA will no longer be able to provide train service beyond the Quebec-Windsor corridor by the early 2030s.

This would mean the demise of ‘The Ocean’ between Montreal and Halifax, the world-famous Toronto-Vancouver ‘The Canadian’, and all other routes that serve smaller cities, remote, and Indigenous communities across the country, as well as the tourism sector.

The public rail operator also often suffers greatly from delays beyond its control, as new CEO Mario Peloquin made clear in an op-ed in the Globe and Mail in October. VIA’s on-time performance has declined to only 60% on railways where freight trains have right of way, while it is 90% on tracks owned by VIA — unfortunately VIA only owns 3% of the tracks it runs on.

The petition therefore asks the government to restore right of way for passenger trains, as envisaged in NDP MP Taylor Bachrach’s private member’s bill C-371, to ensure passengers arrive on time and reduce the padding in train schedules, which would also result in substantial cost savings.

“It’s not just a few hours. Three whole days have been added to the time it takes to travel from Halifax to Vancouver.” says Terry Johnson, President of Transport Action Canada

Advocates are also asking that the government and transport minister Pablo Rodriguez implement several other measures to help VIA Rail provide reliable and environmentally friendly transportation from coast to coast. This would include providing VIA Rail with a legislative mandate to maintain and expand passenger rail service in Canada, which the Crown Corporation has lacked since its creation in 1978; providing for passenger and worker representation on its board of directors, which contributes to the success of other national carriers in Germany and France; and addressing outsourcing concerns by ensuring the public operator’s continued role in the High Frequency Rail project.

The petition is open for signatures until April 7th, whereupon it will be presented in Parliament, and the government will be required to table a response. The House of Commons petition can be found at: https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4754.

Backgrounder – click to download

Budget 2024 Submissions

The federal government is currently accepting submissions from Canadians with their priorities ahead of Budget 2024. This is a key opportunity to provide your input and voice support for public transportation issues that matter to you.

TAA will be making a formal pre-budget submission covering both passenger rail and other key transportation issues in the region (intercity buses, ferries, and freight rail), but we also encourage you to fill out the survey to voice your support. You can access the “Let’s Talk Budget 2024” form here: https://www.letstalkbudget24.ca/let-s-talk-budget-2024

The deadline to make submissions is Feburary 9th (this Friday), so please take a few minutes to fill out the questionnaire in the coming days.

If you’re looking for guidance on your submission as it relates to VIA Rail’s long distance fleet renewal, please see the sample below from TAA’s draft budget submission. Please also add your own perspectives on why maintaining and improving passenger rail service is important to you!

The federal government needs to immediately provide the funding for VIA Rail Canada to proceed with a formal procurement process to replace the entire train fleet used on its long distance, regional and remote services. 

Critically, this funding should support an order for enough trains to provide at least daily service on long distance routes. In the case of the Ocean, this would mean sufficient equipment for 3 full trainsets (with appropriate spares). It is critical that VIA be able to use this opportunity to ensure a return to former levels of passenger rail service nationwide. 

It’s time for Canadians across the country to be provided with a rail service that is modern, reliable, sustainable, and fully accessible.

Atlantic Transport News – April 2022

Welcome to the April 2022 installment of Atlantic Transport News!

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

FEDERAL BUDGET COMES UP EMPTY FOR VIA’S OCEAN – BUT TRI-WEEKLY SERVICE TO RESUME IN JUNE

Don’t expect to see long-haul passenger motive power like this in Canada anytime soon. Amtrak has ordered 125 of these low-emission Siemens Charger ALC42 diesels, shown here on the point of the Empire Builder. The 2022-23 federal budget contained nothing for VIA service outside the Toronto-Quebec City corridor.
PHOTO – Justin Franz/Twitter

Atlantic Canadians are still no closer to seeing a modernized rail passenger service after the 2022-23 federal budget was unveiled on April 7. The Trudeau Government’s fiscal plan made no mention of any investment outside the Toronto-Quebec City corridor, despite the first tentative steps taken by VIA Rail in January towards a long-overdue equipment replacement program. VIA is revealing little about the initiative, but the Crown corporation does acknowledge that there is no funding for it at this time. Evidently they are testing the waters to learn what options might be available, but are not prepared to say even how many participants were involved at their virtual “market day” – much less identify any of them. Neither will they disclose what type of equipment they might be looking at.

Meanwhile, VIA has just confirmed that the third frequency of the Ocean will resume in the first week of June. Online bookings had been available for Friday departures from Montreal and Halifax effective June 3 for several months, but the company hadn’t been able to confirm that these would actually take place, citing COVID-19 uncertainty. But the April 14th media release means that the full tri-weekly pre-pandemic schedule will be restored for the summer, albeit missing some of the amenities previously offered to sleeper-class passengers.

VIA CEO Cynthia Garneau termed it “a celebratory and crucial milestone in our service resumption plan after an incredibly challenging two years. We look forward to welcoming more of our customers back on board our trains and doing our part to encourage Canadians and tourists to get out and explore this beautiful country for the summer travel season.”

The release said VIA’s objective has always been the safe resumption of services when conditions allowed it, adding that the decision to add frequencies during the pandemic has been based on various factors, including demand, employing a balanced approach in order to fulfill VIA Rail’s public service mandate and manage financial impacts. The company will revise its service offering in line with the latest developments if necessary, and existing safety measures in response to COVID-19 remain in effect. Those include a masking policy on trains and in stations, as well as mandatory vaccination as required by the federal government.

“The train remains one of the safest ways to travel this summer and we are pleased to be offering our passengers more frequencies and more flexibility,” the announcement concluded. No details are yet available on whether additional sleeping car capacity will be available. The Ocean has been operating with just four Renaissance sleepers for the past several months, and for a number of upcoming departures the reservation system is showing all space as sold out.

LITTLE JOY FOR TRANSIT IN THREE PROVINCIAL BUDGETS

St. John’s City Councillor Maggie Burton: “There can be no meaningful action on poverty and climate without investment in public transportation.”
(Image from Facebook)

Sustainable transportation is clearly not a priority for the provincial governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador. All three tabled their 2022 budgets in recent weeks – and all three gave public transit short shrift. Where it did get a mention, only lip service was paid.

In St. John’s there’s a bit of a tempest brewing because the Furey Liberals tried to claim political points for the underfunded Metrobus pass aimed at low-income residents. The City is being expected to provide the free transportation to more people, but with a lower level of provincial funding than previously – despite much higher fuel costs. At the same time, the Province is refusing to give Metrobus a break on its taxes or the registration fees for its vehicles. City Councillor Maggie Burton perhaps said it best when she tweeted “there can be no meaningful action on poverty and climate without investment in public transportation.”

New Brunswick is apparently still adamant that it will not commit matching provincial funding in order to avail of available federal money for public transit, despite requests to reconsider from at least two city councils. Quoting Ottawa sources, Brunswick News reported that there is $112 million left on the table for transit investments in NB if the Province is prepared to come up with its share, but Premier Higgs continues to argue that the program isn’t flexible enough.

Instead, the Province unveiled a three-year $1.1-billion plan for improving and extending the life of existing roads and bridges – some of which admittedly are in dire need of attention. But this, of course, does nothing to reduce automobile dependency or promote sustainable transportation. Moncton economist David Campbell recently posted a graph indicating that New Brunswickers spend a higher proportion of their household income on motor fuel than any other Canadians.

In late breaking news from Ottawa, there has apparently been some sort of compromise hammered out that would allow New Brunswick greater flexibility in accessing the federal funds, which are scheduled to disappear if not used by the end of the new fiscal year. Brunswick News says influential federal minister Dominic LeBlanc brokered the arrangement, and Premier Higgs was quoted as being pleased with the outcome. Although details aren’t yet available it appears most of the money earmarked for transit may be diverted to projects preferred by the province.

Meanwhile, Nova Scotia’s capital plan for 2022-23 includes $507.8 million for roads, highways and bridges. The only discernable nod to green transportation in the budget is a $2-million allocation for electric vehicle charging stations across the province. It isn’t clear if NS is prepared to match Ottawa’s offer for transit funding.

Prince Edward Island remains the front-runner in sustainable public transportation policies. It’s now been confirmed that the Island Transit network will be extended to the western end of the province effective Tuesday, April 19, which means residents will be able to effectively travel from one end of the province to the other for just a $2 fare, which includes a transfer to the T3 Transit service in Charlottetown. The recent budget also provided for free transit for all Islanders under 18, as well as $100 point-of-sale rebates on bicycle purchases and $500 for e-bikes. To allay concerns about supply chain issues, the government has announced that the cycle rebate will be extended indefinitely.

MARITIME BUS GETS CASH INFUSION FROM PROVINCES – BUT NOTHING YET FOR DRL

Intercity busing in the Maritimes has just received another helping hand from the three provincial governments to help keep services operational in the face of massive losses during the pandemic. In Newfoundland, DRL Coachlines remains empty-handed. PHOTO – Maritime Bus

Struggling motorcoach carrier Maritime Bus got some good news from three provincial governments on April 12. In a joint news release, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island announced a combined contribution of just under $900,000 to help the company defray some of the multi-million-dollar losses it has sustained during the pandemic. In addition to drastically reduced farebox revenue on its intercity and rural routes, the coach tour and cruise ship business disappeared, eliminating many of the economies of scale that kept the family-owned enterprise viable.

“It’s nice to feel needed and it’s nice to feel wanted,” said Maritime Bus founder Mike Cassidy in an interview with CBC News. It’s the second infusion of funds Mr. Cassidy’s company has received from the provinces, and is particularly important in enabling service to continue in rural areas like northern New Brunswick. He’s looking forward to the return of cruise ships, and hopeful that revenues during the upcoming tourist season will reach 90% of 2019 levels.

Nova Scotia and New Brunswick will each contribute $400,000 to the company, while Prince Edward Island is providing $90,000. The media release from Nova Scotia said the contributions are proportional to the ratio of kilometres driven by the service in each province.

DRL Coachlines, also a privately-owned carrier that provides daily service across 900 kilometres of the Trans Canada Highway in Newfoundland, has also been trying to get some financial support from government to help offset its pandemic losses. Owner Jason Roberts says nothing has been forthcoming to date, despite assurances last fall that help was on the way. The province has cut registration fees in half for 2022 to help compensate car owners for higher fuel prices, but hasn’t offered anything to public transportation operators.

Meanwhile, there’s been no word from Ottawa about any change in federal policy regarding the
Rural Transit Solutions Fund. The $250-million program was unveiled last year, but the federal government has been adamant that only not-for-profit agencies qualify for the capital assistance it offers. That specifically excludes companies like Maritime Bus and DRL – despite the fact that both have been losing massive sums of money over the past two years.

Mike Cassidy had the opportunity for a face-to-face meeting with federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra in early March, and expressed hope afterwards that the political will for change was beginning to come round. But he’s still waiting for talk to turn to positive action.

URBAN TRANSIT: “CLAWING ITS WAY BACK TO NORMAL”

With another difficult winter behind them, urban transit systems are tweaking schedules in an effort to win back riders. New initiatives at Halifax Transit include a dedicated transitway on Spring Garden Road, a program to make using transit easier for people with special mobility needs, and additional help for newcomers in learning how to navigate the system. SUBMITTED PHOTO

As more and more people transition towards a new normal after nearly two years of working from home, and the masking guidelines on public transit switch from “mandatory” to “recommended”, the bus systems in the region’s major urban centres are adjusting routes and schedules as they ride the challenging road to recovery.

Halifax Transit introduced some large-scale service changes back in November, primarily affecting communities on the Dartmouth side, but also reaching to Halifax, Spryfield and Porters Lake/Seaforth. Most of these changes had been in the works long before the pandemic hit, and were included in plans approved by the Regional Municipal Council last spring. They are not part of the longer-term rapid transit plan unveiled in 2021, but they have the same objective – to make it easier for Haligonians to get to their destinations more quickly and conveniently, and without resorting to cars. Although the agency announced a return to its full pandemic schedule several months ago, staffing issues have forced periodic cancellation of both bus runs and ferry crossings.

Meanwhile, significant improvements to public transit in St. John’s were launched in January, after City Council allocated funding for the so-called “Zip Network”, aimed at increased frequency on multiple Metrobus routes. The upgrades are part of a commitment originally approved in 2019, but implementation was put on hold due to pandemic restrictions.

The Zip Network offers increased and consistent frequency throughout the day on routes 1, 2, 3 and 10, beginning earlier in the morning and extending later in the day, with 15-minute frequency at peak hours on weekdays and 30 minutes for most other times. Metrobus general manager Judy Powell says user feedback from the changes has been positive, but the COVID factor makes the total impact difficult to measure. For example, Zip was introduced at the same time that most university students returned to campus. She added that ridership continues to gradually improve, and by March had reached 88% of pre-pandemic levels.

Greater Moncton’s Codiac Transpo is also tweaking its routes and schedules as it “claws its way back to normal”, says operations manager Alex Grncarovski. The system is now at 90% of pre-pandemic service hours, and is showing a steady ridership increase. With a new automated fare collection system now fully implemented, there’s a wealth of new data available for planning purposes that simply wasn’t there before. And, they’re hearing a lot from employers who are recognizing how important availability of transit is in recruitment. All this means more “thinking outside the box” to get the best bang for the buck as routing and expansion changes are contemplated.

Codiac Transpo is especially pleased that the Town of Riverview is showing a stronger commitment to public transit. Council has maintained funding for expanded service that was first introduced last year to help residents cope with the extended closure of one of the Petitcodiac River crossings. Riverview has a history of being very car-centric, and presents a special challenge, Mr. Grncarovski says, because it is very spread out and much more difficult to adequately serve than Moncton and Dieppe. But the coverage area has recently been extended, and residents appear to be reacting positively to more reliable and quicker service.

RATES UNCHANGED THIS SUMMER ON MARINE ATLANTIC FERRIES

Sailing to and from Newfoundland by Marine Atlantic this summer won’t cost any more than it did in 2020. The Crown corporation has apparently been granted an exemption from the 65% cost recovery requirement again this year, and it’s hoping to return to the full range of onboard amenities. PHOTO – Marine Atlantic

Marine Atlantic has confirmed that there will be no rate increase on its ferries to Newfoundland this summer. Evidently the federal government did not want to either rain on the province’s Come Home 2022 parade or exacerbate the rising cost of living by increasing the charges for trucking goods to the island. In effect, this means that fares will remain at the same level as in 2020, with the 65% cost recovery requirement evidently held in abeyance for another year. And, because the Crown corporation has a fuel hedging program with their own tank farm, there’s unlikely to be any immediate impact on the fuel surcharge as a result of world events. Ferry bookings for the summer are running well ahead of pre-pandemic norms for this time of year – no doubt a consequence of pent-up demand among ex-pat Newfoundlanders.

Meanwhile, there’s optimism that onboard amenities will return to near-normal this summer, after two seasons of very limited food and beverage offerings. Colin Tibbo, the executive in charge of customer experience, says public health considerations may dictate some adjustments in how the food actually gets to the plate, but he’s looking forward to offering the same standard of service that received high satisfaction levels from passengers pre-pandemic.

OVERSEAS FLIGHTS RETURNING TO HALIFAX STANFIELD

MAX is back. The once-controversial Boeing 737 MAX 8 will be the workhorse of overseas flights from Halifax Stanfield International this summer. PHOTO-courtesy of HIAA

“Travel is getting easier again,” proclaims a recent e-mail blast from WestJet to its customers. And, the Calgary-based airline appears to be as good as its word for overseas travel this summer from Halifax Stanfield International Airport. It’s forging ahead with the restoration of seasonal direct service to four destinations across the pond, beginning on May 1. This summer there will be a daily flight from YHZ to London Gatwick, and tri-weekly service to Glasgow and Dublin, plus four times a week to Paris.

Air Canada is also resuming its non-stop, year-round service to London Heathrow, beginning with a five-times weekly operation effective April 30, increasing to daily for the peak travel period. And starting June 24 the national flag carrier will resume daily Halifax- Boston service. American Airlines, meanwhile, will start daily service to Philadelphia on June 3, and also offer once-a-week direct flights to Boston and Washington. And, two carriers will offer seasonal service to Frankfurt beginning this spring. Condor Airlines and Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings Discover will both fly to and from YHZ three times a week.

“We are very pleased that many of the non-stop overseas and U.S. flights that were offered at Halifax Stanfield pre-pandemic will return for summer 2022,” says airport spokesperson Tiffany Chase, although she acknowledged that some routes will be offered at lesser frequencies until more travel demand returns. “We will continue working with our airline partners to bring back more routes and increase flight frequencies in the coming months and years for the benefit of our communities.”

Even though it’s some 470 nautical miles closer to Europe than Halifax Stanfield, the picture at St. John’s International Airport is not quite so rosy. Apart from flights to and from the French territory of St. Pierre and Miquelon, YYT will remain devoid of direct service on any international route. Three years ago WestJet decided to permanently centralize all its Atlantic Canada overseas flights at Halifax. Air Canada cancelled its on-again, off-again service to London Heathrow in 2019, when the controversial Boeing MAX 8 airplanes were grounded worldwide over safety concerns. And then came the pandemic.

Air Canada told CBC News by an e-mailed statement in mid-March that there were currently no plans to add any international flying out of St. Johns, blaming the continued suspension on pandemic effects.

Interestingly, all the overseas flights resuming from Halifax by both Air Canada and WestJet will use the MAX 8 aircraft, with all safety issues apparently now resolved to the satisfaction of the regulatory authorities. 

TAA’S ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING SET FOR MAY 28

Mark your calendar! Transport Action Atlantic will hold its annual general meeting online using the Zoom platform on Saturday afternoon, May 28. An informative program focusing on convenient, affordable and sustainable transportation is being planned. interested members of the public are welcome to attend – details below!

Once again, this year’s Transport Action Atlantic’s annual general meeting will be held virtually using the ZOOM platform on Saturday, 28 May 2021, beginning at 1400 ADT (1430 NDT).

The agenda includes annual reports and financial statements, appointment of an auditor, election of a board of directors, and any other business that may arise.

Current members of Transport Action Atlantic may nominate (with their consent) any other member in good standing for a position on the board. It is the board’s responsibility to choose the executive officers. Nominations should be made in advance of the meeting, and may be submitted by mail to the TAA Nominating Committee, P.O.Box 268, Dartmouth NS B2Y 3Y3, or (preferably) by e-mail to TAA secretary Michael Perry at mikeper5@nb.sympatico.ca.

Besides the required business, we plan to include guest speakers focusing on critical public transportation issues in our region, with ample opportunity for questions and discussion. Please watch for further details on our website as this program is finalized. TAA members for whom we have an e-mail address will automatically receive an invitation to the meeting. Others who’d like to participate should request credentials by e-mail to atlantic@transportaction.ca. As always, our AGM is open to the general public and the media.