Q2 2023: VIA RAIL MAINTAINS MOMENTUM AS TRAVEL DEMAND CONTINUES TO INCREASE

HIGHLIGHTS

From April 1 to June 30, 2023:

• Total revenues increased by $29.6 million (37.7%) compared to the same period last year;
• Ridership increased by 240,179 passengers (31.3%) compared to Q2 2022;
• Mario Péloquin began his mandate as President and Chief Executive Officer;
• VIA Rail was named the most reputable company in the transportation sector, according to Léger's 2023 Reputation Study.

 

MONTRÉAL, August 31, 2023 – VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) continued to see a sustained growth in travel demand in Q2 2023, with revenue and ridership up 37.7% ($29.6 million) and 31.3% (240,179 passengers), respectively, compared to the same period last year.

“Our performance this quarter and over the past year shows a clear and steady trend of growing demand for rail travel in Canada,” said Mario Péloquin, VIA Rail's President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our efforts over the last months are bearing fruit, with more than one million passengers choosing VIA Rail between April and June 2023. As we continue our work to modernize and transform the way Canadians travel, the Corporation is well positioned to achieve near pre-pandemic performance as we enter the second half of the year.”

 

VIA Rail’s New Fleet on track

Four trains in VIA Rail’s new fleet continue their pre-commercial launch, and in May of this year the routes expanded to serve the Québec City – Montréal - Ottawa Corridor. By the end of Q2, almost 10,000 Canadians had the chance to experience the unparalleled, barrier-free, and fully accessible travel experience offered on our new Venture fleet. All 32 new trains are on track to be delivered by 2025 which brings us closer to realizing our vision of building a more modern passenger rail service for Canadians.

 

Arrival of New President & CEO

On June 26, VIA Rail welcomed Mario Péloquin as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Péloquin brings more than three decades of experience in the rail industry, a deep understanding of its challenges and opportunities, and a demonstrated commitment to ensuring that transit services meet the needs of communities across Canada. In just his first week on the job, Mr. Péloquin hosted employees at a town hall meeting where he witnessed the enthusiasm and dedication of the VIA Rail staff firsthand. He also met with the Minister of Transport and key players in Southwestern Ontario on June 29th where he announced that VIA Rail is working on the return of a beloved service in the region, trains 82-83. Since then, the new CEO has toured maintenance centres, and stations in several provinces and expressed his eagerness to continue to improve the passenger experience, reconnect communities, and shape a sustainable, accessible, efficient, and inclusive future for passenger rail travel in our country.

 

Most Respected Company in the Transportation Sector

VIA Rail was ranked the most reputable company in the transportation sector in Léger's 2023 Reputation Study. The Corporation was also ranked Canada's number one employer of choice among transportation companies for the second year in a row. The study highlights VIA Rail’s vision and commitment to creating a positive workplace culture.

 

Annual Public Meeting

In May, VIA Rail updated Canadians on its performance, financial results, and modernization projects for 2022 in a fully accessible audio recording available on YouTube, which featured American Sign Language (English) and Quebec Sign Language (French). Answers to the top 10 questions sent by Canadians addressed topics such as on-board air quality, commuter and regional services, and the replacement of our long-distance and regional fleet.

 

VIA Rail's 2023 second quarter report is available here.