Via Rail tells MPs passengers stuck on train for 18 hours in 'unique' situation
Via Rail tells MPs passengers stuck on train for 18 hours in 'unique' situation
OTTAWA -
The CEO of Via Rail says that after a tree fell on a passenger train as it travelled on CN Rail tracks during the holidays, it took the freight company longer than hoped to clear it -- and passengers on board were stuck for 18 hours.
Martin Landry, who is also Via Rail's interim president, offered the details of the saga while appearing before the House of Commons transportation committee on Thursday.
He and other executives from the Crown corporation were the latest witnesses to be questioned by members of Parliament who are investigating the widespread delays and cancellations that upended travellers' plans in December.
Much of the committee's focus has been on the actions taken by Canada's major airlines. But Via Rail was also called to explain the dozens of cancellations and delays its network experienced from Dec. 23 to 26, as a winter storm swept across Ontario and Quebec.
"We, as a country, have to look at increasing the resiliency of our transportation infrastructure," Landry said, adding that climate change means severe weather events are becoming more common.
What was of particular concern to MPs, however, was the experience of those passengers who boarded Via Rail's Train 55 in Ottawa on Dec. 23, expecting to arrive in Toronto but instead stopping for hours near Coburg, Ont.
At the time, some of the travellers told media they that were not receiving updates about when they might move, and that they were without proper food access.
Landry said one issue was that train was travelling on tracks owned by CN Rail, which hauls freight.
Nearly all of the tracks Via Rail uses are owned by CN Rail, which Landry says makes them dependent on the private company, whose responsibility it is to maintain and respond to incidents on its infrastructure.
In the case of Train 55, Landry said the first CN crews that arrived to clear the fallen tree ended up getting into an accident amid poor road conditions.
He said a second crew then determined that the winds were too strong to remove the tree without causing more damage.
"I don't think it's an issue of pointing the blame, because frankly, it's a combination of factors that created this situation," Landry said.
Some MPs on the committee expressed disappointment that no one from CN Rail appeared, despite being invited.
A spokesman for the rail company told The Canadian Press that it is in discussions with the committee in hopes of appearing "soon," and pointed to a brief it submitted that outlines what happened over the holidays.
The document says that from Dec. 23 to 24, the winter storm caused power outages and road closures across Eastern Ontario.
It also addresses how a freight train derailed on Christmas Eve along a stretch of tracks that carries Via Rail passengers between Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto, resulting in more cancellations.
CN Rail says in its brief that crews were sent from Ontario and Quebec to clear the railway, but "had to work in very difficult conditions," including high winds and limited visibility, near the steep embankments where the train cars derailed. Some of the cars were carrying dangerous goods, the document says.
During Thursday's hearing, Landry told MPs he believes it would be best if the passenger rail system had its own tracks.
Other executives at Via Rail said they are working to improve communication with CN Rail. And Landry added it's also clear they need to better update their passengers when it comes to delays -- something he apologized publicly for earlier this month.
Rita Toporowski, the railway's chief customer officer, told Thursday's committee that Via Rail does keep food and water on board for when delays happen.
But she said what took place on Train 55 was a "unique" situation.
It lasted for more than a few hours, and staff were unable to bring further supplies to passengers, which is generally another option if they run out, she said.
Via Rail's appearance came as some Opposition members of Parliament say it's time to extend the country's passenger protection regulations to cover rail transportation, not just air.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra appeared at the committee earlier this month and vowed to toughen up existing rules, which critics argue lack the teeth to hold companies accountable for compensating air passengers.
But in a statement provided to The Canadian Press, Alghabra's office did not address whether the minister supports calls to expand the existing passenger protection regime to cover those travelling by rail.
"The situation with Via Rail over the holiday season was unacceptable. Passengers deserve to be communicated with, especially during the unprecedented weather conditions Canadians were experiencing," spokeswoman Nadine Ramadan said in an email.
"The safety of crew and passengers is always a top priority. All options are on the table to strengthen passenger safety even more."
Via Rail's appearance followed earlier testimony by leaders at Air Canada, WestJet and Sunwing.
Sunwing Airlines came under particular scrutiny after hundreds of passengers were left stranded in Mexico, saying they could not get an answer from the company about returning to Canada. They have all since returned to Canada, and the airline has apologized.
Sunwing faced criticism not long after for cancelling all flights out of Saskatchewan until early February. It has also reduced winter flights out of Moncton, N.B., Fredericton and Halifax.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 26, 2023.
Some parts of Twitter's source code -- the fundamental computer code on which the social network runs -- were leaked online, the social media company said in a legal filing on Sunday.
The first hearing in a lawsuit brought by Prince Harry, singer Elton John and other high profile figures against the publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper over alleged phone-tapping and other breaches of privacy, is due to begin on Monday.
A fifth body has been recovered from the site of a powerful explosion at a chocolate factory in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania and two remained unaccounted for Sunday.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he's 'not satisfied' with his party's confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberals — signed a year ago this week — because it's shown him he could do a better job running the country than the current government.
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward waters off its eastern coast Monday, adding to a recent flurry in weapons tests as the United States prepared to deploy an aircraft carrier strike group to neighbouring waters to step up military exercises with the South.
The Florence museum housing Michelangelo's Renaissance masterpiece the 'David' invited parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit after complaints about a lesson featuring the statue forced the principal to resign.
Tens of thousands of Israelis poured into the streets of cities across the country on Sunday night in a spontaneous outburst of anger after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly fired his defence minister for challenging the Israeli leader's judicial overhaul plan.
At least 2,000 mummified ram heads dating from the Ptolemaic period and a palatial Old Kingdom structure have been uncovered at the temple of Ramses II in the ancient city of Abydos in southern Egypt, antiquities officials said on Saturday.
CTV W5 speaks with members of the comedy industry, including Russell Peters, for a wide-ranging look at how political correctness and 'cancel culture' has changed the world of stand-up comedy.
W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water. Watch W5's 'Something in the Water' on CTVNews.ca and W5's official YouTube channel.
An Ontario couple has filed a request with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) to appoint a new police force to investigate the death of their 17-year-old son Benjamin, who died during a hockey team-bonding event in September 2019.
The parents of young Ontario hockey player Ben Teague have been searching for answers since he died while at a team retreat in 2019. The mystery about what happened and the code of silence in hockey culture is explored in CTV W5's 'What Happened to Ben,' on CTVNews.ca and W5's official YouTube channel.
The parents of young Ontario hockey player Ben Teague have been searching for answers since he died while at a team retreat in 2019. The mystery about what happened and the code of silence in hockey culture is explored in 'What Happened to Ben' on CTV W5.
The RCMP knew about a potential cocaine shipment from the Dominican Republic to Toronto aboard a Canadian charter flight but inexplicably allowed the crew that discovered and reported the drugs to be detained for months without intervening, a W5 investigation has revealed.
CTV W5 investigates what authorities knew about plans to smuggle cocaine out of the Dominican Republic on a Toronto-bound Pivot Airlines flight. The airline's crew is demanding justice following their eight-month detention.
Police have identified a teenager who died after being stabbed in an ‘unprovoked’ attack at a Toronto subway station Saturday night, and have charged an adult male suspect with his murder.
After making a 'long shot' plea to the public this weekend, a woman in southern Ontario has found her lost wedding dress, mistakenly donated by her father earlier this year.
The union representing contract instructors and graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants is threatening to go on strike Monday if a deal is not reached with Carleton University.
A 49-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder and assault with a weapon in connection to injuries suffered by a 50-year-old woman in Cambridge.
Worries of a recession in 2023 got another jolt this weekend with former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz warning the country’s economy is at a greater risk of a “hard landing” – a rapid economic slowdown following a period of growth and approaching a recession. For small businesses, it's a prediction that brings concern.
One person is dead while another remains in hospital with serious injuries Sunday after a single vehicle collision involving a motor bike on the former River Road Golf Course in East London near the Thames River
NEW I Police in London, Ont. have launched an investigation following the discovery of a deceased man in the south end of the city on Saturday afternoon.
Residents of a central London, Ont. apartment were temporarily displaced from their units and were kept warm inside a city bus after a fire broke out early Sunday morning.
Montreal police say a fifth body has been extracted from the rubble of a heritage building that caught fire nine days ago, leaving two others still missing.
Jun Yao Wang and her mother, Qing Jie Li, say they are at their wit's end. The edge of their property on Chemin des Cageux near du Tremblay Street in Laval has become a dumping ground.
A low-pressure system moving up the coastline of Maine will cross Nova Scotia Sunday into early Monday morning, bringing a mix of snow, ice pellets and rain.
A Royal Canadian Navy frigate departed Halifax today as part of the federal government's wider strategy of boosting its presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Sunday before a thoroughly packed house in Sudbury, Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing capped a masterful performance at the 2023 Canadian mixed doubles curling championship to add yet another national gold medal, and their first as teammates.
Nearly five years after the legalization of marijuana in Canada, one local cannabis retailer feels Manitoba should be more proactive and flexible when it comes to regulating pot sales in our province.
The appreciation and respect shown by the public after two Edmonton Police Service officers were killed in the line of duty has not gone unnoticed, their families say.
April 7 is Green Shirt Day, which also marks the anniversary of Logan Boulet's death. Boulet, who was involved in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash five years ago, signed up to be an organ donor just weeks before the crash. Today, Green Shirt Day is meant to promote organ donor awareness and registration across Canada.
The appreciation and respect shown by the public after two Edmonton Police Service officers were killed in the line of duty has not gone unnoticed, their families say.
A fire damaged a storage building on 104 Street early Saturday morning. Water Warriors – a charity that hands out water, food and clothing – is worried its supplies were damaged.
A temporary foreign worker from the Philippines who was fired from her job as a caregiver after a cancer diagnosis has been awarded over $45,000 by the BC Human Rights Tribunal.
The federal Liberals aren't the only ones declaring U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to Ottawa a triumph for Canada-U.S. relations: Washington's envoy, too, described it Friday as an 'overarching success.'
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he's 'not satisfied' with his party's confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberals — signed a year ago this week — because it's shown him he could do a better job running the country than the current government.
The federal Liberals are set to unveil a budget on Tuesday intended to showcase their plans to keep Canada competitive amid the clean energy transition while supporting Canadians who are struggling with affordability.
Hershey Co. is looking to reduce 'trace' amounts of lead and cadmium in its chocolate, chief financial officer Steve Voskiul told Reuters on Wednesday, after Consumer Reports found that some dark chocolate bars had potentially harmful levels of the heavy metals.
A growing number of Muslim doctors and psychologists are trying to bridge the gap between faith leaders and worshippers with eating disorders, who say they face marginalization when trying to access support within their own communities, as well as in the public health system.
For the first time, autism is being diagnosed more frequently in Black and Hispanic children than in white kids in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
Some parts of Twitter's source code -- the fundamental computer code on which the social network runs -- were leaked online, the social media company said in a legal filing on Sunday.
Gordon Moore, the Intel Corp. co-founder who set the breakneck pace of progress in the digital age with a simple 1965 prediction of how quickly engineers would boost the capacity of computer chips, has died. He was 94.
The Florence museum housing Michelangelo's Renaissance masterpiece the 'David' invited parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit after complaints about a lesson featuring the statue forced the principal to resign.
The arrest of actor Jonathan Majors has upended the U.S. Army's newly launched advertising campaign that was aimed at reviving the service's struggling recruiting numbers.
'John Wick: Chapter 4,' the fourth installment in the Keanu Reeves assassin series, debuted with a franchise-best US$73.5 million at the box office, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz says Canada’s economy is at a greater risk of a 'hard landing' — a rapid economic slowdown following a period of growth and approaching a recession.
Indigenous-owned tech company Animikii says making love the focus of its decisions -- from accepting clients to partnering with investors to supporting employees during a global pandemic -- is key to its success, now and for generations to come.
Insolvency trustee Doug Hoyes says millennial Canadians have been dealt a generational losing hand as they face student loans layered with bad debts from credit cards, high-interest loans, and post-pandemic tax debt from collecting CERB.
This past week, Parks Canada opened up its reservation system for the 2023 season, offering places to stay, hikes to take and national historic sites to visit across the country. According to three experts, here's where to travel this summer.
Japanese chef Tomoya Kawada has achieved a feat no other restaurateur has before; he's created the world's only three-Michelin-star Chinese restaurant in a non-Chinese-speaking city.
A new study from the University of Waterloo suggests that heavy workloads that discourage employees from taking breaks could disrupt general performance, causing high levels of stress and fatigue that stand in the way of productivity.
Sunday before a thoroughly packed house in Sudbury, Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing capped a masterful performance at the 2023 Canadian mixed doubles curling championship to add yet another national gold medal, and their first as teammates.
Anthony Volpe grew up watching Derek Jeter star at shortstop for the New York Yankees. Now, the 21-year-old is getting the chance to be the Yankees' opening day shortstop Thursday against the San Francisco Giants.
The making of the hugely popular BBC car show 'Top Gear' has been halted following a crash during filming in December that left co-presenter Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff with serious injuries, the broadcaster said late on Thursday.
California lawmakers on Thursday will vote on whether to allow penalties on oil companies for price gouging at the pump, a first-in-the-country proposal aimed at stopping the kind of spikes last summer that caused some drivers pay up to US$8 per gallon as the industry reaped super-sized profits.
