All aboard the train to Whistler or Campbell River? B.C. Green leader proposes province-wide rail network

The leader of the B.C. Green Party has floated the idea of reviving passenger rail service.

The leader of the B.C. Green Party is proposing a massive passenger rail network across the province, saying the project could create jobs, ease congestion and boost local economies.

Emily Lowan suggested trains could run on routes like Victoria to Campbell River, Vancouver to Whistler, and the Lower Mainland to the Kootenays and beyond.

She told CTV News the first part of her plan would focus on restoring passenger service along Vancouver Island’s long-dormant rail corridor, while consulting with First Nations.

“Getting the Island Corridor back online, having Vancouver Island connectivity, is so obvious and key,” said Lowan.

Her plan would see trains carrying both residents and tourists in a transportation network similar to those in Europe and Asia, with Lowan adding the project could create thousands of jobs while boosting the construction, energy and tourism industries.

“The government puts a lot of downward pressure on political imagination, but it’s clear to me,” she said. “I was touring the province for multiple months, and the resounding demand from people on transit was actually rail.”

Reviving passenger rail across the province would face major hurdles. Some rail lines are in poor condition, and others are not built to handle modern passenger service.

The B.C. government told CTV News it has already invested millions of dollars studying the future of the Vancouver Island rail corridor, adding that the population does not yet justify the cost—while acknowledging the island’s population is growing rapidly.

“We’re committed to looking for solutions that will maintain and strengthen existing passenger transportation connections that support British Columbians, and aligning transportation services with regional needs related to population density and travel demand,” the Ministry of Transportation and Transit said in a statement.

There is also no firm price tag, but a major rail system stretching across British Columbia would likely cost several billion dollars.

“But, you know, the longer that the government waits, the more expensive this will be,” Lowan argued.