MONTREAL – Internal documents show Via Rail’s on-time performance hit new lows in recent months, a decline the Crown corporation blames largely on Canadian National Railway Co.
Files obtained through an access to information request show that Via trains, which run mostly on CN tracks, arrived late along its Windsor-Quebec City corridor 80 per cent of the time in February and two-thirds in January.
That’s a significant increase from late-arrival numbers below 30 per cent during the same two months last year.
In court filings in November, Via said that recently imposed speed restrictions on its Venture passenger trains were causing delays along its busiest corridor, affecting thousands of passengers daily.
CN responded that it laid down the restrictions at rail crossings due to risks associated with similar trains.
CN says in an email that safety was the chief concern behind the new rules, which require conductors to slow down at each crossing to visually confirm the safety barrier has been lowered.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14, 2025.
Companies in this story: (TSX:CNR)
