A large group of Municipal, Regional District, and First Nations politicians and administrators, along with the Northern Development Investment Trust, have been meeting to discuss the the future of the BC Rail line from Squamish to Prince George.
The Northern Development Investment Trust (NDIT) has taken the lead in saving the BC Rail line and is working with Cairnstone Planning to flesh out a new ownership model. A video has been produced to introduce Cairnstone Planning, who’s role is to co-ordinate involved parties, particularly First Nations; liaise with potential operators, investors and strategists; and search for potential funding sources. The video also provides a brief synopsis of rail history in western Canada and discusses the difference between short line operations and those of CN and CPKC. It also points out the important resiliency aspect of the BC Rail line, should Fraser Canyon rail operations be disrupted. The essential goal of the NDIT project is to ensure the tracks remain in place.
In its presentation to councils, NDIT feels it may have found an operator that can successfully operate the line although, as TABC has stated previously, negotiating trackage rights at the ends of the line is proving challenging. The NDIT spokesperson points out that local groups have started short line railways and successfully taken over abandoned rail lines (mostly in Saskatchewan).
The NDIT/Cairnstone Planning presentation to councils can be viewed in its entirety at https://youtu.be/6M1tpUV8-Wc.
Other councils that have received the presentation are Prince George, Squamish District council, the Thompson Nicola Regional District and Pemberton.
Prince George was the only municipality that responded to TABC’s April 2024 letter supporting the District of Lillooet’s call to then Minister of Transportation Rob Fleming to study the return of passenger rail to the BC Rail line.
