Not high speed rail but a practical plan for affordable and convenient public transportation in Southwestern Ontario. Network Southwest, a plan researched and prepared by On Track Strategies for SWOTA, its member groups, and supporting municipalities, is a blueprint for reviving Southwestern Ontario’s public transportation system that can be implemented rapidly. Southwestern Ontario’s Passenger Rail and Bus Service Action Plan Prepared by Greg Gormick On Track Strategies March 2015 is available to view here: Please visit their website to learn more. http://www.swota.ca/

It was December 2014 when VIA Rail Chief Executive Yves Desjardins-Siciliano gave an interview with the Globe and Mail that probably made his political masters happy but rail fans and High Speed Rail Canada highly criticized the interview. Now it seems Desjardins-Siciliano is starting to realize the extent of VIA's problems. Although he still refuses to acknowledge the need for a VIA Rail Act and Regulations he has stated that the current situation with CN and CP sharing existing track does not work and dedicated track is needed. The news from Desjardins-Siciliano about the need for dedicated commuter track ($3billion) in the Toronto-Montreal corridor was released on March 12th, 2015 . It seems to have gotten limited media hits. According to Google News Alerts only the Saskatoon Phoenix picked the story up and it was largely ignored everywhere else. Perhaps the most insulting part of the article is CN's response to the problems they cause for VIA Rail. It reads, CN &

I have written an article comparing Uzbekistan vs Canada. Uzbekistan has high speed trains, Canada does not. Read the whole article HERE.

For fans of the North Main LIne, Toronto-Ktichener- London-Sarnia not a high speed rail study but interesting business case about increasing passenger rail frequencies on the line. From 2006. By UMA/AECOM  http://tinyurl.com/UMA2006

Canadian pension fund manager, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec has bought 30 percent controllership stake into Eurostar International -- the high-speed rail network that links London and Paris, as well as London and Brussels. The U.K. government has 40 percent holding in the rail company. Apart from Caisse, British asset manager Hermes Infrastructure will acquire the remaining 10 percent through a consortium called Patina Rail LLC. Caisse’s purchase translates to some £440 million ($850-million). The British government wanted to divest its shares in the Eurostar International to raise enough case that could help reduce national debt. It was hoped the sell-off could raise at least £300 million. The total transaction value of the Caisse and Hermes purchase is believed to reach £757 million, according to the Globe and Mail . Read the rest of the story -  http://au.ibtimes.com/canadian-pension-fund-buys-30-uks-eurostar-high-speed-rail-network-1427180