Issue/Source: VIA Rail Service Delays in the Québec City–Windsor Corridor

Location: Québec City–Windsor Corridor

Date: February 2026

Suggested Responses

  • Transport Canada recognizes the serious inconvenience caused to passengers by the recent delays. The Department is working directly with VIA Rail to identify root causes, accelerate corrective measures and restore the level of service Canadians deserve.
  • Transport Canada is closely monitoring VIA Rail's recent mechanical issues and confirms that all safety rules and regulations were followed.
  • We expect VIA Rail to take immediate action to improve the reliability of its new Siemens Venture trainsets operating in the Québec City–Windsor corridor.

Background Information

Budget 2018 provided VIA Rail with funding to replace the aging rolling stock used for its Québec City – Windsor services. VIA Rail is currently in the process of commissioning the remaining Siemens Venture trainsets procured through this funding.

As more Siemens Venture trainsets are brought into the Corridor, there has been an increase in mechanical breakdowns (e.g., loss of head-end power), resulting in immobilized trains and stranded passengers. Major VIA Rail delays since December 10, 2025, are listed below:

  • December 10, 2025, Train 669 experienced a mechanical failure near Brockville, Ontario, a delay of approximately 13 hours.
  • December 17, 2025, Train 28 experienced a mechanical failure near Lemieux, Quebec, a delay of approximately 5 hours.
  • December 24, 2025, Train 15 experienced a mechanical failure near
    Saint-Florence, Quebec, a delay of approximately 6 hours.
  • December 27, 2025, Train 40 experienced a mechanical failure near Newcastle, Ontario, a delay of approximately 5 hours.
  • December 27, 2025, Trains 78 and 79 were stopped due to a police operation near Brantford, Ontario, a delay of approximately 6 hours.
  • January 1, 2026, Train 645 experienced a mechanical failure near Kingston, Ontario, a delay of approximately 3 hours.
  • January 15, 2026, Train 644 collided with a snowplow near Scarborough, Ontario, no reported injuries. A delay of approximately 3 hours.
  • January 16, 2026, Train 63 experienced a mechanical failure near Dorval, Quebec, a delay of approximately 4 hours.
  • January 22, 2026, Train 66 experienced a mechanical failure near Brockville, Ontario, a delay of approximately 4 hours.
  • January 24-25, 2026, multiple VIA trains experienced delays mainly due to severe weather conditions and a defective switch near Moira, Ontario, leading to delays as long as 7 hours.

Supporting Facts and Figures

  • In a typical year, VIA Rail operates over 400 trains per week in all regions of Canada over approximately 12,500 kilometers (or 7,800 miles) of rail.
  • In 2024, VIA Rail carried 4.4 million passengers, with $480.2 million in total revenue, 6.6 million train miles, and 967 million passenger miles (the railway industry still uses the imperial system).
  • In the first nine months of 2025, VIA Rail’s Québec City – Windsor corridor services had over 3 million passengers, representing a 0.1% increase over the previous period last year.
  • In the first nine months of 2025, VIA Rail’s Québec City – Windsor Corridor revenues were over $283 million, representing a year-over-year increase of just over 5%.
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