MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada on Thursday announced creation of a new wholly owned subsidiary, VIA HFR, to manage development of the High Frequency Rail project for service between Toronto and Quebec City, and to act as a dedicated project office.
VIA has appointed the three founding members of the VIA HFR board: Robert Prichard, who will serve as chairman; Marie-José Nadeau, vice chair; and Robert Fonberg. They will lead the search for the company’s CEO, as well as recruitment of the other directors to complete the seven-member board.
“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,” Françoise Bertrand, chair of VIA Rail’s voard of directors, said in a press release.
Transport Canada has been leading the High Frequency Rail development process, most recently making adjustments to the procurement process to develop the corridor in response to what it said were “more than 50” initial inquiries regarding the project [see “Responding to inquiries, Transport Canada adjusts …,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 1, 2022]
“I thank VIA Rail for its role in creating VIA HFR and its continued support for the project, and I am pleased that Messrs. Prichard and Fonberg and Ms. Nadeau have agreed to serve as the founding members of the Board of Directors,” Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said in a press release. “VIA HFR is now well-positioned to lead the biggest Canadian infrastructure project of the century.”
Sounds like a wholly run subsidiary of the Quebec Pension Board.
High frequency, really, are they planning on running the Canadian 10 times a month up from its current 8 times?? I know they are only talking about Toronto/Montreal service, but this whole process seems to be a total waste of money.
How did this boon doggle get this far? Just what we need VIA competing against VIA with a train from Montreal to nowhere with frequent stops at Pinetree, Rockcut and Swampy Place. Net gain no passenger service any where in eastern Ontario.
Curious, what is the new Board of Directors supposed to do? Does the existing board have its hands full?