The next time you take the train, I invite you to try a reflection exercise. Count the people sitting around you. Then consider that each of them could have chosen to drive alone to their destination, but instead they travel collectively, much more comfortably and with less environmental impact.
Posted at 4:00 p.m.
In the face of an existential climate crisis, the train offers a sustainable way forward. As Canada’s national rail passenger service, VIA Rail is committed to leading by example and taking action. Although sustainability has long been part of our DNA, we are determined to be part of the solution to building a more sustainable future for all Canadians.
This is why we have given ourselves the means to achieve our ambitions through our five-year sustainable development plan which covers the pillars of governance, environmental resilience and social inclusion, and which integrates our commitment to sustainable development. sustainability in all aspects of our business.
As part of this plan, VIA Rail is the first ground carrier in Canada to join the United Nations Global Compact1, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. This means not only doing the right thing for the planet, for Canada, but also for our communities, our people and future generations.
We are starting from a solid base. Rail transport accounted for 3.5% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector in Canada in 2019. We are committed to bringing these numbers down further.
In our plan, we commit to reducing VIA Rail’s GHG emissions by 30% or more by 2030.
We are tackling this challenge in several ways, including through innovation. We recently completed a pilot project that tests artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce fuel consumption and GHG emissions from our locomotives.
Conscious of our collective obligation to reduce our environmental footprint, we aim to offer a waste-free travel experience on the trains of the Quebec-Windsor corridor by 2025. It is a complex task, but we are determined to accomplish by redesigning our consumer products and their packaging, offering more reusable options and significantly improving recycling on board our new trains.
Sustainability is undoubtedly the foundation of the future we are all building together, and with this plan we are moving forward, more determined than ever, on the path to tomorrow.
But our vision of being the sensible way to travel rests on other crucial elements.
VIA Rail is in the midst of a major modernization program that will transform passenger rail service.
An example is our new Corridor fleet which, in addition to being one of the most eco-responsible in North America, will provide an unparalleled, barrier-free and fully accessible travel experience, with the first train scheduled to enter service later this year.
We are proud to have been the first federal organization to submit our multi-year accessibility plan under The Accessible Canada Act. Building on the work we’ve already done, this plan charts the course for a more inclusive and accessible travel experience, because everyone deserves barrier-free travel.
All of these ambitious and forward-looking projects reflect VIA Rail’s reach: we serve more than 400 communities in eight provinces and saw pre-pandemic ridership growth ultimately reaching over five million passengers in 2019, a record in 30 years.
Through our commitment to modernization, sustainability and accessibility, we are shaping the future of passenger rail service and transforming VIA Rail into a vehicle for change in Canada.
We’re excited about the future, and we’ll keep you posted on how we’re delivering on our promises.
The time has come to create the train of tomorrow.