We might see
summer-style congestion across the province if everyone hits the
road for an unusually warm Thanksgiving. Despite clogged highways,
even dedicated transit commuters tend use cars on longer trips --
and it’s no surprise, considering our under-performing intercity bus
and train network.
If you are
travelling by rail or bus during the next few days, remember to
double-check schedules and pre-book tickets if you can. It’s a good
idea to have a back-up plan this weekend, especially those headed
north. Drivers for the Ontario Northland bus service have been on
strike for several days and although there are alternatives -- by
both train and highway coach -- these may be crowded.
This bus
disruption may help raise the profile of the little-known Ontario
Northlander train that runs six days a week from Toronto through
North Bay on its way to Cochrane. A special Saturday run is
scheduled to accommodate bus users -- start with northlander.ca for
details.
It’s unclear
how many people who regularly drive along this corridor actually
know the train even operates -- though many have heard of its more
famous cousin, the Polar Bear Express train that travels to James
Bay.
The Northlander
is like many of Ontario’s rail routes outside the
Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal triangle; services are so low profile and/or
infrequent they play a marginal role in long-haul passenger
transportation. Now that provincial politicians are acknowledging
the importance of creating alternatives to car use inside urban
regions, the next step is getting between our cities in an
efficient, reliable and environmentally responsible way.
The Green Party
of Ontario has picked up this issue, as part of its extensive
transportation policy (see it at gpo.ca). The Greens believe the
province must “lobby the federal government for more investment in
heavy rail for city-to-city links, especially a high-speed passenger
rail link connecting Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.”
The party,
which is fielding candidates across Ontario, acknowledges that
overseeing railroads -- both freight and passenger -- is a national
responsibility, but all levels of government need to create “an
integrated and forward-looking approach to transportation policy.”
Even as prime
minister Stephen Harper’s administration promises a National Transit
Strategy and is working with other jurisdictions on improving border
transportation “gateways”, the federal Conservatives are coy about
the future of VIA Rail. The national network boasts many lines in
Ontario. For its part, Queen’s Park has at last begun to look
closely at the province’s entire rail, air and marine assets, which
may help build a comprehensive vision. Let’s hope so -- other parts
of the world are way ahead of us.