11 June 2007
Tourist Train Plan Needs Money
Thunder Bay Ontario - The City of Thunder Bay's tourism
division will attempt to find thousands of dollars to fund a new study for a Northern Ontario train.
Councillors directed tourism manager Paul Pepe to try and find money in his division or elsewhere to fund a Superior North Community
Futures Development Corp. project. "The study is important," Pepe said in an interview after council's decision Monday.
"I just have to find the cash."
Superior North director Dyane Menard spoke to councillors at city hall and requested $10,000 for the study, on top of $5,000 Thunder
Bay contributed a couple of years ago. The Superior North study would determine if passenger train service between Sudbury, White
River, Wawa, communities north of Lake Superior, Thunder Bay, and Winnipeg can be re-established.
After much discussion, council voted 7-1 to have the tourism division prepare a report and find out if there was money
available for the project. Pepe said he doesn't have any money available in this year's budget to cover the cost. He will report back
to council in two or three weeks about other options.
Menard told council a Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. line that is currently used to transport freight could be used to haul passengers.
She said a train rolling through Thunder Bay could provide direct and indirect benefits to the city. Tourism would be increased, she
said.
The study will cost $105,050, with $33,350 coming from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp., $33,350 from FedNor, and $33,350 from
the municipalities on the line. Another $5,000 would come from in-kind donations. Menard said about $20,000 has been
committed by the municipalities, so another $13,350 was needed from them.
Coun. Rebecca Johnson asked Menard if other groups had been approached for money. Menard told her that Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie
have been approached, but added that Thunder Bay stands to benefit most.
Coun. Aldo Ruberto asked why Menard's group didn't approach CP Rail before pursuing the study. Menard said the group has to present
facts and figures to the rail company before dealing with it in an official manner. She also said it would be in CP's best interest to
look at the study. "CP will be making money on this," she said.
Menard told council that her group was aware of another proposed tourism train that would travel from Nipigon to Thunder Bay, but it is
a completely different project with a private rail service - either VIA Rail or another company - providing the service.
In an interview, Menard said that if Thunder Bay doesn't contribute the $10,000, the project wouldn't be killed. "I hope that
council will have a good discussion with staff and see if it's possible to find the $10,000 and secure a leadership role," she
said.
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