Teamsters Canada Rail Conference

With August, 15 deadline looming, talks aimed at keeping Sault-Sudbury line open continue

A plan to keep the Huron Central rail line between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury for up to a year is in the works.

Community leaders and stakeholders from across the North Shore are working overtime to flesh out a plan to save the rail line proposed by Huron Central itself. Basically the plan formalizes the need to make immediate investments in the near-obsolete rail line for any shipping along the route to continue.

With an August 15 deadline fast approaching, Sault CAO Joe Fratesi, who is chairing a committee coordinating the efforts to save the key freight route open, told the Sault Star last week that any plan to save the line would have to involve some sort of infrastructure investment by senior levels of government. Huron Central has made it clear that the money-losing rail line needs over $33 million in upgrades to make it feasible. The company said it could not continue to operate the line at a loss as it has been.

New Democrat Tony Martin, Minister of Parliament (MP) for Sault Ste. Marie, is calling for immediate action. The plan proposed by Huron Central requires buy-in from all of the stakeholders, including municipalities and the companies that use the line to move freight, including Domtar and Essar Steel. Domtar operations at the Espanola Mill and Nairn Sawmill are both affected by the situation.

“This rail corridor is vital to all communities in Northern Ontario,” Martin said in a press release. “The proposed plan will evolve but we need immediate support from the federal government.”

According to Martin, Ontario needs “the kind of rail transportation plans that the other provinces have are where the province and Ottawa are directly involved.

“In the long term, we need a commitment from the provincial and federal governments to establish … such a plan. Action is needed now!”

Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Carol Hughes said the federal government should get involved in the plan to show support for Northern Ontario.

“The decision by Huron Central Rail is good news for all remote communities that rely on the rail link to receive merchandise,” Hughes said. “The federal government must support this initiative and demonstrate its commitment to the communities of Northern Ontario.”

Mario Brault, president of Huron Central Railway, told the Sault Star that talks are continuing and he remains "neutral" during the negotiation process between the Sault and Sudbury.

“This is a new relationship that is being forged and it's not going to be the same relationship that has existed between Huron Central and CP Rail," said Fratesi.

Meanwhile, the Ontario Northland General Chairperson's Association (GCA) believes the best solution, both short and long term, is to have Ontario Northland Transportation Commission assume control of the rail line to prevent further diminishing of infrastructure, transportation and communication needs in Northern Ontario. Fratesi said Ontario Northland is not involved in any of the discussions.

--with files from the Sault Star