I hear over and over how much people want the railway to come back for both passenger and freight service. So do I. So fund it already.
Almost 10 years ago, the Island Corridor Foundation (ICF) asked for more than $100 million to completely re-do the railway. That was rejected by government. Then the ICF came forward with a $20 million request split into pieces. This was only accepted after years of negotiation with three levels of government plus conditions, and now sits stuck waiting for VIA to agree as well.
Now these same government politicians say $20 million isn’t adequate? We knew that 10 years ago when those same politicians rejected it.
Had the original $100 million request been done with $10 million a year, we’d have been all done by now and who knows what wonderful uses we’d have for the railway.
No matter what the number, it seems to me the most likely way to exit this not-so-merry-go-round and get rail going is to get rid of the politicians who keep changing the subject. Let’s start this November.
Chris Alemany
Port Alberni