Via rail

[headhorse]

^ until the 90's the airports were owned by the fed government. when they were transferred, it was costing taxpayer's over $100 million/yr in expenses to operate airports. we have been paying those costs since most airports were incorporated. it would be very easy for HSR and inter city rail travel to be viable with a similar government investment over a similar number of years.

not to mention the tax breaks for companys like boeing, and as mentioned, the massive amounts that fuel is subsidized (rail would probably be electric, which is another reason the oil lobby doesn't want them)

[p_xavier]

Could be a reason for the VIA delay is the Hyperlook studies.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/hyp...port-1.5075268

[jawagord]

Originally Posted by Urban_Sky

Fuel.

Subsidized compared to WHAT form of transportation? Railways largely pay for there own track and equipment, similarily airports are largely self financing so a lower fuel tax is appropriate to air and rail compared to road vehicles that run on public highways. But VIA is more like road vehicles running on track paid for by the public dollar or on “host” railways plus using equipment paid for by the public and still getting fuel and operating subsidies.

Ontario Gasoline tax rates

* 14.7¢ per litre of unleaded gasoline
* 17.7¢ per litre of leaded gasoline
* 4.3¢ per litre of propane (for automotive use only)
* aviation fuel 6.7 ¢ per litre

Ontario fuel (Diesel)tax rates:

The fuel tax rates are:
* 14.3¢ per litre
* 4.5¢ per litre for railway equipment.
Data: historical fuel tax rates
Coloured fuel
Tax‑exempt fuel has been dyed red and carries a chemical marker to aid in the enforcement of the Fuel Tax Act. The dye is supplied by the Minister of Finance and added to fuel only by registered dyers.
Data: historical dye costs
Coloured fuel may be used in:
* heating, lighting or cooking
* generating electricity
* unlicensed construction, forestry, mining, farm and other business equipment
* operating commercial marine vessels
* auxiliary equipment of a vehicle where the equipment has its own separate fuel tank
* operating railway equipment provided that the operator is registered with the Ministry of Finance and pays fuel tax on all fuel used in its railway operations.
First Nations individuals who are registered under the Indian Act (Canada) and First Nations bands may use coloured fuel in licensed vehicles where the fuel is acquired on a reserve.

https://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/tax/ft/index.html

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by headhorse

^ until the 90's the airports were owned by the fed government. when they were transferred, it was costing taxpayer's over $100 million/yr in expenses to operate airports. we have been paying those costs since most airports were incorporated. it would be very easy for HSR and inter city rail travel to be viable with a similar government investment over a similar number of years.

not to mention the tax breaks for companys like boeing, and as mentioned, the massive amounts that fuel is subsidized (rail would probably be electric, which is another reason the oil lobby doesn't want them)

Airport authorities have to pay rent to the federal government to cover these costs.

[headhorse]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Airport authorities have to pay rent to the federal government to cover these costs.

^ this only started in the 90's.

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

Could be a reason for the VIA delay is the Hyperlook studies.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/hyp...port-1.5075268

I hope not, as if they are taking Hyperloop seriously that would make the people working for Transport Canada complete morons.

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by milomilo

Indeed.

Does Canada have any sort of integrated ticketing? Who runs it? That would be a neccesary tool, although I believe you can get through tickets from GO to VIA. Right now, it doesn't really matter because there is no train or bus service for the most part, but being able to book a multi - mode journey with one ticket and confidence it would be valid even if there was delay would be a major selling point.

There's busbud but it's a private company.

[GoTrans]

Press release as per VIA Rail

OTTAWA, March 29, 2019 /CNW/ - The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, today announced the following appointments to VIA Rail Canada:

Ms. Cynthia Garneau (appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer, term of five years starting on May 9, 2019);She is a lawyer and has been President of Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Ltd. since 2016.

Quote from Marc Garneau as per press release:
"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Yves Desjardins-Siciliano for his valuable service over the past five years. As CEO, he has accomplished a great deal at VIA Rail Canada, including growing ridership, advancing the fleet renewal project and developing the proposal concerning High Frequency Rail."

I wonder what this does to Via's HFR proposal?

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by GoTrans

Press release as per VIA Rail

OTTAWA, March 29, 2019 /CNW/ - The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, today announced the following appointments to VIA Rail Canada:

Ms. Cynthia Garneau (appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer, term of five years starting on May 9, 2019);She is a lawyer and has been President of Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Ltd. since 2016.

Quote from Marc Garneau as per press release:
"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Yves Desjardins-Siciliano for his valuable service over the past five years. As CEO, he has accomplished a great deal at VIA Rail Canada, including growing ridership, advancing the fleet renewal project and developing the proposal concerning High Frequency Rail."

I wonder what this does to Via's HFR proposal?

One would assume that Mme Garneau will have negotiated assurances re HFR prior to accepting the position.

[Gat-Train]

https://torontosun.com/news/local-ne...the-hinterland

[rocon1]

I really think via rail should be expanded. Right now the only reason they are not in a great financial situation is because there is not enough demand, and if you expand it to other cities, the demand will be there.

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by rocon1

I really think via rail should be expanded. Right now the only reason they are not in a great financial situation is because there is not enough demand, and if you expand it to other cities, the demand will be there.

No, the situation is that they lose money for most users, they cut service to have less deficits. It's the opposite of what you're saying.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

Could be a reason for the VIA delay is the Hyperlook studies.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/hyp...port-1.5075268

Yikes! What could possibly go wrong with transporting people through a sealed tube at 1000 km/h?

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Yikes! What could possibly go wrong with transporting people through a sealed tube at 1000 km/h?

Waiting for the first catastrophe, are we?

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Gat-Train

https://torontosun.com/news/local-ne...the-hinterland

This is a lobbyist who has blinders on. Only one solution will satisfy him. Unfortunately, HSR is extremely expensive and current rail ridership does not support it. There is not enough rail users to generate the political will to spend that amount of money. HFR will bring faster service and more ridership than the status quo, which provides an affordable option. With greater ridership in the future, maybe someday there will be more expectations for HSR upgrades, but that is a long time off.

[acottawa]

Hasn’t hyperloop been discredited multiple times?

[khabibulin]

Originally Posted by milomilo

Firstly, there is no such thing as property rights, it's a fictional concept. I'm not saying that as a naive socialist, it's just a fact.

Secondly, these companies are not pure creations of innovation, they exist from the product of massive gifts from the Canadian government. The Canadian government should make decisions that are in the best interests of Canadians, not two monopolies.

Third, most first world countries other than the USA and Canada have the railway infrastructure in the hands of government bodies. It's perfectly normal, because it is quite obviously the most efficient and safest way to do things.

So please, spare me the Ayn Randian bullshit.

CN and CP are public traded companies that have a combined market capitalization of $60 billion (over $3 billion by Bill Gates alone, but 100's of thousands of small investors as well). How would the investors interests be protected in the nationalization process? What would be the financial impact on their investments as a result of nationalization? What recourse would investors have as a result of nationalization?

[White Pine]

Originally Posted by GoTrans

Press release as per VIA Rail

OTTAWA, March 29, 2019 /CNW/ - The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, today announced the following appointments to VIA Rail Canada:

Ms. Cynthia Garneau (appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer, term of five years starting on May 9, 2019);She is a lawyer and has been President of Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Ltd. since 2016.

Quote from Marc Garneau as per press release:
"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Yves Desjardins-Siciliano for his valuable service over the past five years. As CEO, he has accomplished a great deal at VIA Rail Canada, including growing ridership, advancing the fleet renewal project and developing the proposal concerning High Frequency Rail."

I wonder what this does to Via's HFR proposal?

The cynic in me says that YDS was a big hfr promoter and this would shut him up.

[headhorse]

Originally Posted by khabibulin

CN and CP are public traded companies that have a combined market capitalization of $60 billion (over $3 billion by Bill Gates alone, but 100's of thousands of small investors as well). How would the investors interests be protected in the nationalization process? What would be the financial impact on their investments as a result of nationalization? What recourse would investors have as a result of nationalization?

who cares, we'll take their money too.

[khabibulin]

Originally Posted by headhorse

who cares, we'll take their money too.

Appears that you've clearly thought this one all the way through!