Transit Riders groups in 3 Canadian Cities react to Rail Lockouts

Image of West Coast Express locomotive by Northwest on Wikipedia

For immediate release

Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto, August 22nd, 2024 – Trajectoire Québec, TTCriders and Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders denounce that rail users are at the mercy of freight transportation in Canada. The situation caused by the labour conflict at CPKC is another example of the need for passenger rail that isn’t dependent on private freight companies. The current conflict affects more than 32,000 people in the three Canadian metropolises.

This situation once again illustrates the need to prioritize the movement of passengers on railway lines in Québec and in Canada. Public transit users are, once again, paying for a situation out of their control. Public transit is essential!

“In the Montréal metropolitan area, 20,000 public transit users will suffer from losing their train services and will have to find a solution. It is time to provide passenger services with dedicated rails so that this kind of situation does not happen again!“ declares Sarah V. Doyon, general director at Trajectoire Québec.

“When we ask why West Coast Express only runs in rush hour, the answer is always that CPKC owns the track, and that they won’t allow all-day service. When we ask why the train to Seattle travels as fast as a bicycle, we’re told it’s because private railways let their track deteriorate. Now, a labour dispute at CPKC could shut down West Coast Express. When will the federal government step in to ensure our nation’s railways prioritize commuters over shareholders?” asks Denis Agar, Executive Director at Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders.

“GO Transit riders who use the Milton line are one of the last in line for improvements, because freight trains are prioritized. Prioritizing transit users who use the Milton line with all-day, two-way GO service can’t come soon enough,” adds Shelagh Pizey-Allen, executive director of TTCriders. 

The consequences of this strike will encourage more public transit riders to use their car to go to work. It will also affect the confidence of the public on the reliability of commuter trains, which is already fragile. This situation is unacceptable in the context of growing congestion and a climate crisis. We invite all the parties to find a solution to this situation as fast as possible. 

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About Trajectoire Québec 

Trajectoire Québec is an association that intervenes in the representation of citizens and the promotion of their interests about public transit everywhere in Québec. The association supports the access to safe, affordable and quality services of public transit. Trajectoire Québec also assembles and mobilizes citizens, associations and corporations thanks to its expertise in citizen mobilization. The association acts by representing, by mobilizing, by its interventions in the media and by the annual presentation of the Guy-Chartrand Awards. https://trajectoire.quebec/

About TTCriders:

TTCriders is a membership-based public transit advocacy organization in Toronto. TCriders organizes transit users to take collective action for better transit, and campaigns for fully accessible, frequent, dignified public transit that connects all Toronto neighbourhoods. https://www.ttcriders.ca/

About Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders:

Movement is a non-profit made up of transit riders in Metro Vancouver who are focused on making transit faster, more reliable, and less crowded. They recently got Vancouver Council to deliver a comprehensive network of bus lanes, and they’re just getting started. Find out more at http://movementyvr.ca.