CANADA: National passenger train operator VIA Rail has established VIA HFR – VIA TGF Inc to act as a dedicated project office for development and delivery of the High Frequency Rail project.
This envisages the provision of dedicated tracks for 200 km/h electric passenger trains on the Corridor route linking Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Québec.
Robert Prichard will serve as Chair of VIA HFR’s board, with Marie-José Nadeau as Vice-Chair and Robert Fonberg as the third founding director.
‘These three talented Canadians bring a combination of strategic leadership skills, and experience in the private and public sectors, large-scale infrastructure projects and the transportation industry, to steer VIA HFR towards the successful delivery of this project that will transform passenger rail service in Canada’, said VIA Rail Chair Françoise Bertrand on December 15.
The Canadian government is leading the procurement process to select a private development partner for the HFR project.
