It鈥檚 been two years since the last passenger climbed off a Via Rail train on Vancouver Island. It鈥檚 time to start talking about other options for the rail corridor. The dream of a viable freight and rail service hasn鈥檛 ended. But it has faded, despite hopes and good intentions.
The latest blow came last week. The Island Corridor Foundation, responsible for the rail line and $350 million in assets, has secured $20 million in government funding for needed track and bridge repairs. But before spending any money, it needs a new passenger service agreement with Via Rail, the federal Crown corporation.聽
Before the shutdown, the trains ran from Victoria to Courtenay in the morning and back in the afternoon. The foundation wants a new schedule that would allow commuters to use the trains to get from Nanaimo to Victoria in the morning and back in the afternoon.
That makes sense. But Via says it has no money for any service changes, given federal budget cuts. If the change requires any extra costs 鈥� and it will 鈥� Via won鈥檛 do it.
A string of deadlines for reaching an agreement has passed. Via is clearly not keen on restarting the money-losing run. (Via also cites the destruction of the Victoria passenger terminal as a problem.)
Meanwhile, the rail line carries about 40 freight cars a week, travelling slowly over bridges and tracks deemed unsafe for passenger service.
The Island Corridor Foundation maintains successful freight and passenger service can be restored. Most Islanders likely wish them well. But the foundation has controlled the rail line for seven years, struggling to address the big problems it inherited. It鈥檚 time to consider all the options, including non-railroad uses.
It鈥檚 also time for increased accountability and transparency
The Island Corridor Foundation is an unusual creature. It鈥檚 a charitable non-profit, with a 12-person board that includes five representatives from regional districts and five from First Nations along the route. View Royal Mayor Graham Hill represents the Capital Regional District.聽
The foundation owns the rail corridor and pledges to use it for the benefit of all Islanders.
But it has fallen short in keeping Island residents informed. It has never, for example, published audited financial statements. The last unaudited statements, for 2011, warned 鈥渢he Foundation has been depleting its cash resources, has a significant working capital deficiency and has not met its debts as they came due.鈥� (There were positive comments as well.)
The foundation board promised audited financial statements for 2012. But five months after the year ended, no current financial statements are available on the foundation鈥檚 website.
The foundation still has great hopes for rail service.
But prudence demands it also explore other options for the extraordinary public resource. The corridor from Victoria to Courtenay and Port Alberni, for example, could become a trail that would attract thousands of tourists. Some land could be sold or leased, or developed by First Nations along the route.
The foundation鈥檚 role is to manage the assets in the public interest. It鈥檚 time to see if rail is still a realistic 鈥� or best 鈥� option.
