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
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