A community group trying to save coast-to-cost passenger rail service now has a couple federal politicians onboard, but still no financial commitment from Ottawa.
“If this rail line gets abandoned it’s going to get torn up,” says train passenger Kathleen Gadd. “How much will it cost to get us reconnected? We’ll never see that again.”
CN Rail plans to abandon a 70-kilmetre stretch of track between Miramichi and Bathurst it no longer uses.
“The prospect of that not happening for a mere 10 million dollars just seems ridiculous,” exclaims Marc Savoie, a member of the group Save our Trains in Northern New Brunswick.
The provincial government has pledged 25 million dollars to preserving rail service in the northern part of the province.
CN has agreed to match that number.
People advocating to protect the specific line say it will cost 10 million dollars to preserve it, but Via Rail says the company can’t afford it, and the Federal Government has yet to step in.
“Right now I think everybody is pretty upset at the news that the Federal Government isn’t prepared to invest money in this rail,” says Miramichi Mayor Gerry Cormier.
Yesterday in Ottawa two New Democratic MP’s presented the groups’ petition with 25 thousand signatures calling on the Federal Government to invest in the line.
“If we lose that 70 kilometer stretch, it is the end of coast-to-coast rail service in this country,” says New Brunswick NDP Member of Parliament Philip Toone.
Passenger Kathleen Gadd says she will continue to petition to help save the life of rail passenger service in the province.
It’s a service she says is important to her, and her community.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Sarah Plowman
