Via Rail CEO blames plummeting on-time performance on new CN speed rules

MONTREAL — Via Rail says its on-time performance fell drastically in the first three months of the year — a drop the Crown corporation blames largely on new speed rules from Canadian National Railway Co.

Via is reporting that its trains, which run mostly on CN tracks, pulled into the station within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time only 30 per cent of the time last quarter, down from 72 per cent in the same period the year before.

It says ridership decreased by 2.7 per cent, marking the first dip since the railway’s pandemic recovery began.

Via CEO Mario Péloquin says its ongoing service disruptions are the direct result of “arbitrary and unnecessary” speed restrictions on new passenger trains that run along its busiest corridors — though heavy snowfall in February was also a likely factor.

CN spokeswoman Ashley Michnowski says it is disappointed Via “refuse(s) to assume responsibility” for its choice to buy trains that could have safety shortcomings, adding that CN has no interest in arbitrarily slowing locomotives on its tracks.

Via says its first-quarter operating loss before federal funding and income taxes sagged to $160 million from $151.3 million a year earlier.