Mandate:
VIA Rail Canada Inc. (VIA) is a Crown corporation mandated to operate the national passenger rail services on behalf of the Government of Canada, offering intercity rail services and ensuring rail transportation services to regional and remote communities. Its objective is to offer a safe, accessible, efficient, reliable, sustainable and environmentally friendly passenger rail service that meets the needs of Canadian passengers.
Since 1978, VIA has operated Canada’s national rail passenger network on behalf of the Government of Canada, with services in the Windsor–Québec City Corridor, long-haul routes in Eastern and Western Canada, and services to remote areas of Canada. VIA operates approximately 225 train departures weekly.
In a typical year, VIA generates approximately $400 million in revenues from its rail services. In 2021, it received approximately $371 million in operating funding, $126 million in capital funding, and $100 million for its Fleet Replacement Program.
In 2019, VIA’s ridership exceeded 5 million passengers, its best ridership ever on its existing network and its highest annual ridership in the last three decades. However, the exceptional challenges brought about in 2020 and 2021, when the transportation sector faced unprecedented impacts due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, made it impossible for VIA to continue the positive ridership trend that began in 2014. While demand is beginning to increase, VIA does not forecast full recovery until 2024.
In March 2022, the Government of Canada issued Orders in Council authorizing and directing VIA to incorporate a wholly owned subsidiary with a mandate to develop and implement the High Frequency Rail project including the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of passenger rail services in Ontario and Quebec through one or more agreements with the private sector, in cooperation with the Minister of Transport.
On November 29, 2022, VIA HFR – VIA TGF Inc. (VIA HFR) was incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act. By December 15, 2022, the first three directors of VIA HFR were appointed to its Board of Directors, Mr. Rob Fonberg, Ms. Marie-José Nadeau (Vice-Chairperson) and Mr. Rob Prichard (Chairperson). The first three directors will focus on the recruitment and selection of VIA HFR’s Chief Executive Officer (currently underway) and additional directors to complete the seven-person board.
VIA HFR will operate at arms-length from VIA Rail and will act as a dedicated project office for the High Frequency Rail project. In the near term, the Government of Canada is leading a procurement process to select a private developer partner for the project. Once this partner is selected, VIA HFR will work with the partner to design and develop the new High Frequency Rail project, in close coordination with VIA Rail.
Profile:
(Interim) Chief Executive Officer: Martin R. Landry
Chairperson of the Board of Directors: Françoise Bertrand
Board of Directors: Thirteen directors (including the Chief Executive Officer)
Size: 3,234 employees