Teamsters Canada Rail Conference

North Bay – In response to recent news articles about a possible short term solution to keep the rail line between Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie operating, the Ontario Northland General Chairpersons’ Association (GCA) believes the best solution in both the short and long term is to have the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) assume control of the rail line.

“What all of Northern Ontario needs is a comprehensive, coherent, and focused approach that takes into account the realities faced by communities and companies in Northern Ontario, from distance to market, low population density and the need to continue or create those competitive transportation options for communities and company’s in the North. If we don’t, Northern Ontario communities will continue to be adversely impacted by the reduction or elimination of badly needed transportation and communication infrastructure. Without dependable, reliable and competitive rail connections to the rest of the world, Northern Ontario forest, paper, mining and steel industries may disappear”, said GCA spokesperson Brian Kelly.

“The ONTC has been developing transportation and communication solutions in the eastern part of the region for over 100 years, and it is now time for our mandate to expand west by making the ONTC the Transportation and Communication Authority for the entire North”, continued Kelly

“The synergies created by rail freight, rail passenger, motor coach and communication revenues being reinvested in the North through the ONTC, is the only viable long term solution for the North”, added Kelly.

“The ONTC is currently developing a long term sustainability plan and it is time for Northeastern and Northwestern Ontario to unite and ensure that plan includes a solution for the entire region. The Transportation and Communication Authority must be made up of all the stakeholders in the entire region to ensure equal treatment. This could be done at a fraction of the cost that the government is investing in Southern Ontario for infrastructure renewal. Instead of providing grants to foreign owned rail companies that have no vested interest in the North, the ONTC and provincial government would be taking a leadership role by ensuring Northern Ontario rail infrastructure stays intact and available for use in the coming decades ”, concluded Kelly.

The GCA is made up of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, United Steel Workers and Canadian Auto Workers unions who represent all unionized employees at the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission.