Government dollars announced for Sault-Sudbury rail link

JOINT NEWS RELEASE

DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP SAULT STE. MARIE

MIKE BROWN, MPP ALGOMA-MANITOULIN

*************************** Orazietti and Brown announce $1.5 million for rail service upgrades between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury

McGuinty government investment supporting industry and protecting jobs in Algoma Region

QUEEN’S PARK - The McGuinty government is supporting the City of Sault Ste. Marie and local industry with a $1.5 million investment to upgrade commercial rail service between Sault Ste. Marie, Espanola and Sudbury David Orazietti, MPP for Sault Ste. Marie and Mike Brown, MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin announced today.

“In partnership with the provincial government, representatives from local industry and the City of Sault Ste. Marie have worked hard to reach an agreement with Huron Central Railway that will allow for the important transportation link to remain operational," said Orazietti. "This investment is part of our government's plan to help ensure that commercial rail service between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury is upgraded for long-term viability that will greatly benefit regional businesses including Essar Steel."

The McGuinty government, through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), is supporting the city in a partnership with Domtar and Essar Steel Algoma to renew the 350-kilometre Huron Central Rail (HCR) line including rail, tie and bridge improvements. 

This provincial investment will help the rail line remain open for another year while proponents develop a longer term solution for the line.

The initiative will help retain 45 jobs at HCR.

“By investing in these rail line upgrades, our government is supporting the employment of 45 staff at the railway and nearly 100 other indirect jobs that have an immense positive economic impact on our region,” said Brown. “This will allow Domtar to continue to move its product along the rail line.”

In 2008, the Huron Central Railway handled more than 16,000 carloads of freight. 

Transporting this freight by trucks would add between 20,000 and 40,000 truck loads on area highways.

“Infrastructure development is essential to strengthening the northern economy and rail service provides key transportation links to our communities,” said the Honourable Michael Gravelle, minister of northern development, mines and forestry, and chair of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC). 

***************************