Ontario Northland conducting train test runs from North Bay to Toronto

North Bay -

Ontario Northland is conducting a test run is to gauge interest and information on re-establishing a passenger rail service to the north.

For the first time in close to a decade, an Ontario Northland train filled with passengers left North Bay and travelled to Union Station in Toronto, on Monday morning.

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli was joined by seven other northern Ontario mayors as they made the trip south to discuss and plan having this important route service the north.

“It was all about validating the transit times, they need to know point A to point B, and all the stops in between. All of that needed to be done in real time to see and prepare a schedule,” said Fedeli.

“It was also to evaluate the track conditions. This track is owned by CN from North Bay to Toronto. They wanted to do their own independent track evaluation.”

The proposed route will make 13 stops, going as far north as Timmins.

“It certainly benefits the north, with economic development. We’re talking about huge tourism opportunities,” said Corina Moore CEO and president of Ontario Northland.

“In the south, we’re looking at people going down for medical appointments, critical items for seniors, post secondary and also tourism. So it really has an impact on the south and the north.”

While there’s no official date on when the route could return, the Ford government has committed $5 million for design work and planning.

“From a personal point of view it’s very critical transportation tool. And from an economic development perspective it’s very important as well. We need access to reliable, such as today, reliable and affordable transportation,” said Fedeli.

Monday’s test run was conducted to update people on the northeastern passenger rail service business case, but Moore told CTV News the hope is to have the route up and running by the mid 2020s.

“When we finish the updated business case, it will go to Ontario Ministry of Transportation for decision making and that’s probably in the spring, then we will get that decision to go to the next step,” said Moore.