The federal government is providing funding for VIA Rail to replace its fleet in the Quebec City-Windsor corridor.  

Officials say Canadians in all regions benefit from travelling in a passenger rail fleet that is efficient, safe, accessible and affordable.

“A new modern fleet will provide our travellers with safer, faster, more frequent, more accessible and environmentally friendlier service,” says Via Rail president Yves Desjardins-Siciliano. “This important milestone moves us forward with VIA Rail's transformation plan. It will make VIA Rail the smarter way for Canadians to travel in the Quebec City-Windsor corridor."

As it is reaching the end of its useful life, the fleet in this corridor must be replaced to help maintain passenger safety for the next 30 years.

The new fleet is expected to:

-Reduce environmental impacts as engines with the latest technology will be more fuel-efficient resulting in air quality improvements.

-Improve travellers' experience and accessibility by including visual communication media for hearing-impaired passengers; purpose-built accessible washrooms; on-board wheelchair lift, and a minimum of three wheelchair tie-downs per train, with two in the same car, an increase from the current one tie-down per train.

-Increase VIA Rail's operational flexibility and reliability by reducing the mechanical breakdowns that effect on-time-performance.

VIA Rail will soon launch a request for qualifications followed by a request for proposals. Interested bidders are encouraged to visit VIA Rail's website regularly for updates.

Budget 2018 also proposes $8 million for Transport Canada to undertake foundational work to advance VIA Rail's proposal for high frequency rail in the Quebec City-Toronto Corridor.