MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada saw a 6.6% gain in ridership and an 11% increase in total revenues during 2024, according to the company’s annual fiscal-year report.
Revenues for the calendar year were Ca$480.2 million (U.S. $353.8 million), while ridership reached 4.4 million. The company recorded an operating loss of Ca $385.2 million (U.S. $283.7 million), a Ca$3.4 million increase over 2023.
“VIA Rail navigated 2024 with ambition and confidence, looking toward the future, while also addressing daily challenges that exposed certain vulnerabilities,” Françoise Bertrand, who concluded her term as VIA’s board chair earlier this year, said in a press release. “Our promising future is expressed in a new strategic vision focused on transforming our organization to better serve Canadians for generations to come.”
The company noted that on-time performance suffered during the second half of the year in the Quebec City-Windsor, Ont., corridor, where it operates the vast majority of its trains. The on-time figure, 65% at the start of September, dipped to as low as 20% in early December after Canadian National imposed new restrictions on the company’s Venture passenger equipment because of issues with those trains activating grade-crossing protection devices. [See “VIA Venture slowdown …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 17, 2024]. VIA eventually took court action over the restrictions [see “VIA goes to court …,” News Wire, Nov. 13, 2024].
“We are actively addressing these issues,” CEO Mario Péloquin said in his message in the annual report, “taking proactive steps through all proper authorities, and engaging in ongoing discussions with host railways to deliver a better experience for our passengers. We remain committed to delivering a reliable, seamless service, and we are hopeful that we will find a resolution to these issues soon.”
The company lists arrival of the last of the Venture equipment among corporate highlights for the year, along with unveiling of a new five-year plan, VIAction 2030, and announcement of government funding for a new fleet of equipment for its long-distance fleet [see “VIA Rail Canada seeks bids …,” News Wire, Dec. 9, 2024].
“The replacement of VIA Rail’s pan-Canadian fleet is essential to allow VIA Rail to maintain its services,” said current board chair Jonathan Goldbloom, “ nd will also ensure that the next generations of Canadians have access to modern comfortable trains in every corner of the country.”
The full annual report is available here.
Second to the last sentence “…. in every corner of the country.” Well, maybe if VIA hadn’t cut significantly more routes than it has routes that remain. As well as cutting frequencies on its handful of routes still in service.
I will crib a remark not original to me: VIA’s purpose is to make Amtrak look good.