Project Benefits
The major transportation benefit of the project will be the creation of enough
capacity to safely and efficiently handle additional daily roundtrips on
the Montreal-Toronto, Ottawa-Toronto and Montreal-Ottawa routes.
Additional departure and arrival times, shorter trip times as well as better
on-time performance are key factors in encouraging more travellers to choose
environmentally beneficial rail for journeys within and beyond VIA’s Quebec
City-Windsor corridor.
The project will also include new station construction or improved and expanded
facilities at a number of locations including: Oshawa, Cobourg, Belleville,
and Brockville. New features include island platforms connected to the stations
through fully accessible overhead walkways.
VIA’s Corridor Improvement Program will also stimulate economic activity
and job creation. Over 3500 person-years of work will be created throughout
the two-year span of the project. This includes additional economic activity
and employment for those private firms supplying track, signal and various
construction materials and services.