Oxford County Talks High Speed Rail

Tuesday, 11 July 2017 at 13:52

Oxford County will be asked to show support for a high speed rail line from Windsor to Toronto.

Oxford County council will be asked to support the Environmental Assessment process for the development of a High Speed Rail line from Windsor to Toronto.

CAO Peter Crockett tells Heart FM why he thinks we should support the High Speed Rail line.

"We see long term advantage for southwestern Ontario from Toronto to Windsor, but at the same time, recognize for it to be viable we have to develop the ridership and a lot needs to happen to develop that ridership and improve public transportation around southwestern Ontario before that first HSR train rolls through. So we are continuing to ask the Province to lead an integrated public transportation master plan for southwestern Ontario, to make sure that they have a strategy for connecting all of the transit systems and developing a rural transit system across southwestern Ontario."

Oxford County believes the master plan should include a strategy to cultivate public transportation ridership, and establish a feeder system. Crockett says right now the high speed rail proposal does not include a stop in Oxford County, even though it would go through the area.

"It would go through Oxford County and that is part of our concern, not necessary that it does that but how when it is built will they manage the barrier effect if you will of a high speed corridor through our rural lands and the impact on connectivity and agricultural industry and so on but also how the small rural and small urban and rural communities have an opportunity to make their way to where the high speed rail is a value to them. Whether it's Via Rail, high speed rail, or into connecting to the urban transit systems in the larger cities, how we can make all of that operate as a inter connected, integrated system that provides public transportation across Southwestern Ontario."

Council will review a staff report on Wednesday morning about the High Speed Rail and they will be asked to support initiation of an Environmental Assessment process to consider the development of high speed rail in Ontario.