VIA Rail Named Official Travel Partner of the OHL

TORONTO, September 10, 2026 – The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has named VIA Rail Canada an Official Travel Partner of the OHL. This new collaboration aims to bring Ontario communities closer through a shared passion for hockey and a commitment to bringing players, families and fans together, from home to the ice.

Connecting people from city to city and coast to coast, VIA Rail strives to offer a unique and memorable travel experience, a smarter way to move that is sustainable, efficient and barrier-free. With passenger rail service in 13 Ontario cities that are home to OHL clubs, VIA Rail is uniquely positioned to link hockey communities across the province.

“VIA Rail connects the communities our clubs call home, which makes this a natural fit for our league,” said Matt Gergely, Director of Business Operations for the Ontario Hockey League. “Our fans travel across Ontario all season long to follow their teams, and we're proud to partner with an organisation that moves people efficiently and sustainably.”

“Across Canada, hockey brings people together and inspires a strong sense of pride,” said Philippe Normand, Vice-President, Communications and Marketing at VIA Rail. “We are proud to join forces with the OHL to support young hockey players and make Canada’s national winter sport even more accessible. From Ottawa to Sarnia, with a stop in Kingston along the way, VIA Rail invites fans to climb aboard and cheer on these talented athletes.”

The partnership will feature contests and giveaways throughout the season, giving OHL fans opportunities to win travel experiences as they follow their clubs across the province. Details and full contest rules will be shared through OHL and club channels as each promotion launches.

Fans can follow @OHLHockey on X and Facebook, as well as @ohlofficial on Instagram, for contest announcements as the season progresses.

About VIA Rail Canada

VIA Rail Canada's mandate is to operate the national passenger rail service on behalf of the Government of Canada, and to provide a safe, accessible, efficient, reliable, sustainable and environmentally responsible service that meets the needs of Canadians. VIA Rail operates intercity trains connecting over 400 communities across Canada and ensuring rail transportation services to regional and remote communities. The Corporation safely transported over four million passengers in 2025 and has received nine safety awards and three environmental awards from the Railway Association of Canada. For more information, visit our website: https://corpo.viarail.ca/en.

About the Ontario Hockey League

The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has long been regarded as the number one development league in the world, continuing to serve as a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League. The OHL consists of 20 teams, with 17 located in Ontario, two in the state of Michigan and one in the state of Pennsylvania. A proud member of the Canadian Hockey League, the OHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships, with over 268 graduates receiving OHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice in 2025-26, resulting in a collective investment of over $42 million by OHL member teams since 2010.

Media contact

Josh Sweetland
Director, Communications
Ontario Hockey League
416-299-8700 ext. 327
jsweetland@ontariohockeyleague.com

Simon Letendre
Director, Corporate Communications
VIA Rail Canada
medias@viarail.ca