VIA Rail Suspends Service Nationwide

USPA NEWS - On Thursday February 13th, Via Rail cancels  trains across the country as CN shuts down rails in Eastern Canada.

On Thursday, February 13th 2020, VIA Rail which is  an independent Crown corporation that is mandated to operate intercity passenger rail service in Canada announced that until further notice all trains would be suspended nationwide.  This announcement was made following a statement from CN(Canadian National) stating that they would be haulting all operations in Eastern Canada due to ongoing protest blockades and safety concerns for rail employees and protesters. Because VIA Rail operates primarily on CN infrastructure, it was necessary for VIA to suspend it's operations.

CN issued the following statement Thursday afternoon, "At this point, there was a concern whether or not we could carry out our service obligations with Via Rail. The situation is beyond our control and we feel that this is the safest thing for us to do. VIA Rail issued a statement which said, “Following a notice from the infrastructure owner, CN Rail, that they are no longer in a position to fulfill their obligations under the Train Service Agreement between VIA Rail and CN Rail, VIA Rail has no other option but to cancel all of its services on the network with the exception of Sudbury-White River (CP Rail) and Churchill-The Pas (Hudson Bay Railway), until further notice."  VIA has said that refunds will be issued automatically where applicable.

Via Rail operates nearly  500 trains each week across 8 Canadian provinces and 12,500 kilometres (7,800 mi) of track, most  of which is owned and maintained by other railway companies, mainly  CN. VIA links many rural communities throughout the country and many depend on the train as a vital link for delivery of supplies along with a connection to larger urban areas.

UPDATE: Sunday February 16th 2020 at 1700 VIA Rail posted the following statement on their website. "As of Sunday, February 16, 5 pm, please be advised that VIA Rail´s services are still cancelled with the exception of Sudbury-White River (CP Rail) and Churchill-The Pas (Hudson Bay Railway), until further notice." The statement goes on to say, "Cancellations are made on a progressive basis, depending on the evolution of the situation. As soon as we confirm that a train will be canceled, passengers on that train will be notified by email and will be automatically reimbursed. Another update will be issued tomorrow, February 17 at 5 pm, EST." Please refer to www.viarail.com for the complete statement, future cancellation updates and  refund information.