Winnipeg Manitoba - Winnipeg Liberal MP Dan Vandal is urging Premier Brian Pallister to get on with a planned study on relocating rail lines outside of Winnipeg, but the province hasn't yet decided what to do.
 
Vandal, who has for years been a proponent of moving at least some of the 150 kilometres of tracks that criss-cross Winnipeg, told the Free Press Wednesday the issue of rail lines being relocated has dogged the city for too long.
 
"For decades we have been talking about this and the thing that is always missing is accurate information," Vandal said.
 
"It should have been done years ago."
 
In January, the former NDP government tapped former Quebec premier Jean Charest to lead a task force to study the issue.
 
It was putting up $400,000 for the project, which was expected to take at least two years to complete.
 
Vandal was to be the federal Manitoba Liberal caucus representative on that task force.
 
However, since the Tories won the provincial election in April, the project has been on hold while Pallister and his new cabinet decide whether to proceed.
 
In June, Pallister wouldn't say whether his government planned to forge ahead with the task force, saying it was a "great idea" but the NDP had committed to so many things in its bid to be re-elected the government couldn't likely proceed with all of them.
 
Eileen Clarke, minister of indigenous and municipal affairs, reiterated those sentiments in a statement Wednesday, adding the Pallister government "is making strategic funding decisions based on return on investment."
 
"To that end, the contract with Mr. Charest has been placed on hold and is being thoroughly reviewed," Clarke said.
 
Vandal put a call in to Pallister last week and spoke with a member of his staff but not with the premier himself.
 
Last February, the federal government made public a review of Canada's transportation systems done by former industry minister David Emerson.
 
In the report, Emerson specifically recommended the government "support the relocation of rail infrastructure outside of dense urban centres" for both safety reasons and the benefit of city life.
 
Under the Rail Relocation and Crossing Act, federal funding may be made available for up to half the cost of a feasibility study or the actual relocation work, but only if Ottawa has set aside the money to contribute.
 
Railways can be required to move their rail lines under the act but only if there is no net cost to the railway.
 
Vandal said with all the new infrastructure money pledged by the Liberal government, there should be funds available for such projects.
 
Winnipeg is not the only city looking at the possibility of rerouting rail lines.
 
Calgary is looking at it as well, as are the Vancouver suburbs of Surrey and White Rock.
 
Regina spent $100 million on a rail relocation project in 2011.
 
At least one estimate pegs the cost of moving the rail lines from Winnipeg at $1 billion, however Vandal said the study may show the best option is to only move some of them.
 
"Moving all of them out of the city is probably not an option, but I have no doubt there will be some efficiencies we can find."
 
Mia Rabson.