High Speed Rail Conference
A group from CommunityAIR attended the "High Speed Rail Canada" public symposium on April 25. It was interesting not only for the technical presentations but for the political messages.
High speed rail transportation is still at an infant stage in Canada but in Europe several projects have been completed and are operating. France and Spain are the leaders but within five years high speed trains will be criss-crossing Europe. Even countries like Russia, with cold temperatures and a sparse population, will have high speed trains operating within a short time. President Obama has announced that the United States will also be building several high speed train lines.
And where is Canada? Well behind the pack, unfortunately, but this could change. Joe Volpe, MP, the Liberal transportation critic, was the first speaker at the symposium. He made a commitment that a new Liberal government will build a high speed rail line along the corridor between Quebec City to Windsor and another route between Calgary and Edmonton.
The building of these lines has as much to do with politics as it has to do with transportation services. The Liberals see it as infrastructure spending in the midst of a recession, they are justifying it as a "nation building" effort that will link Quebec and Ontario (read French and English Canadians) and it will address real environmental problems.
The one lobby group opposed to high speed rail is the airline industry. Short haul flights, like the ones that Porter flies, are the greatest polluters. They will be directly challenged by high speed trains. In Europe many of the short haul flights have been eliminated altogether once high speed rail lines are in operation.
High speed trains are in our future and it will be welcome by everyone concerned about the environment and infrastructure like the Toronto Island Airport.
Bill Freeman
High speed rail transportation is still at an infant stage in Canada but in Europe several projects have been completed and are operating. France and Spain are the leaders but within five years high speed trains will be criss-crossing Europe. Even countries like Russia, with cold temperatures and a sparse population, will have high speed trains operating within a short time. President Obama has announced that the United States will also be building several high speed train lines.
And where is Canada? Well behind the pack, unfortunately, but this could change. Joe Volpe, MP, the Liberal transportation critic, was the first speaker at the symposium. He made a commitment that a new Liberal government will build a high speed rail line along the corridor between Quebec City to Windsor and another route between Calgary and Edmonton.
The building of these lines has as much to do with politics as it has to do with transportation services. The Liberals see it as infrastructure spending in the midst of a recession, they are justifying it as a "nation building" effort that will link Quebec and Ontario (read French and English Canadians) and it will address real environmental problems.
The one lobby group opposed to high speed rail is the airline industry. Short haul flights, like the ones that Porter flies, are the greatest polluters. They will be directly challenged by high speed trains. In Europe many of the short haul flights have been eliminated altogether once high speed rail lines are in operation.
High speed trains are in our future and it will be welcome by everyone concerned about the environment and infrastructure like the Toronto Island Airport.
Bill Freeman
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