Restore Island Rail

09/04/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐁𝐂 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭!

Restore Island Rail Society has received another 3 questionnaire returns from Candidates and Council members on their stance on the Island Rail Corridor.

Here's what they had to say:

𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐥 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥
"I believe rail is a very important for commercial and personal use. One only has to look at places where a robust rail service is in place to see the advantages. People can work if they choose while commuting to work and on the way home they can relax instead of driving in congested roads. Rail has been used for years to move goods effectively across the country and it could do the same here. It is an efficient alternative to vehicular traffic and can carry many people in a timely manner.

In summary rail is efficient, it can be cost effective if done correctly, eco friendly, and is much more reliable and safer than highway driving. It also gives people another option instead of driving or flying and they can see some beautiful scenery."

𝐃𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐠𝐚𝐳 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥
"All across the world, rail has demonstrated its immense value to communities over and over again. It’s time we caught back up. Restoring rail service would give us the opportunity to offer a reliable, convenient alternative for traffic in and out of CFB Esquimalt and the Dockyard, ease housing pressures, support our local economy, reduce emissions… the list of potential benefits is long.

It will take hard work and genuine collaboration with our regional partners to make this happen, and it will take hard work to address the just concerns of our First Nations neighbours and honour our commitment to reconciliation. I welcome all of this hard work, because it is work that is emphatically worth doing. As far as I’m concerned, the question here should not be “Should we?” but rather “How should we?”

𝐒𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥
"I strongly support restoring rail service across Vancouver Island, especially commuter service within our region! View Royal is the bridge between the Westshore and the rest of Greater Victoria, with thousands of commuters every single day who’ve been priced out of homes in Victoria, Oak Bay, and Saanich. Commuter rail service is one of the ways we can alleviate congestion, ease immediate housing pressure by expanding feasible commuting distances, reduce vehicle emissions, and make our region more livable for everyone!"

𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐲𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧.

Follow the links to see the rest of their platform. https://restoreislandrail.com/election-2026

Restore Island Rail Society
[email protected]

09/04/2026

09/03/2026

With the Prime Minister's announcement of new Canadian built cars for VIA Rail Canada, it's a good time to remind folks that last year VIA confirmed that a rail subsidy negotiated in 2014 for Vancouver Island still exists.

Under the new service agreement, the ICF would manage the schedule delivered by the contracted operator Southern Rail of Vancouver Island that still moves propane by rail in Nanaimo.

We just need to repair the tracks.

Restore Island Rail
https://restoreislandrail.com

09/03/2026

More than Half of Vancouver Island’s Population Lives North of the Malahat

Vancouver Island is growing rapidly, particularly around Nanaimo and other communities north of the Malahat.

But the Malahat remains a major transportation bottleneck. The Goldstream section is only one lane in each direction, bordered by steep terrain reaching over 350m in height and the Treaty-protected Goldstream River, an important salmon-spawning habitat undergoing restoration.

The 289-km Island Rail Corridor already connects Victoria, Langford, Duncan, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Courtenay and Comox.

As Nanaimo and the rest of the Island grow, restoring passenger rail would provide a high-capacity alternative to driving, connecting communities while taking pressure off our highways.

The corridor already exists, let's put it back to work for a growing Island.

Restore Island Rail
https://restoreislandrail.com

09/03/2026

Wouldn't you like to see these on the island?

09/03/2026

Rails with Trails is Perfection

Rails with Trails is Perfection

Trails running alongside Light Rail Transit creates a synergy of carless travel known throughout the world to be one of the most effective ways to boost ridership and trail use, improve public health, and connect communities seamlessly without relying on cars.

Here's a paper from the International Transport Forum that spells out the synergy created from combining transit and cycling
https://www.itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/docs/improved-cycling-transit-integration-synergies.pdf

09/02/2026

September Seniors News - Victoria | Oak Bay | Esquimalt

𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝

With the upcoming election, now is a good time to visit www.restoreislandrail.com to learn where candidates stand regarding transportation on Vancouver Island. Whether you're a longtime supporter of rail transportation or simply interested in better options, your participation matters.

𝐀 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝.

While on the website, make your voice heard by signing the petition to bring back our Island Railway. A frequent Island-wide rail service, both passenger and freight, will make life better and safer for every Islander.

Restore Island Rail Society
https://restoreislandrail.com

09/02/2026

We're closing in on 44,000 signatures, there's only 300 more to go!
https://www.change.org/RestoreIslandRail

09/01/2026

Rewind: 10 Years ago Motorcar Operators West took a tour of the Vancouver Island Rail corridor.

California-based Motorcar Operators West make annual pilgrimage to ...

09/01/2026

Today’s Times Colonist reported on political slates emerging for the 2026 General Elections and stated that the slates currently running are focused on a single municipality.

Unfortunately, that is factually incorrect.

Restore Island Rail Society has already sent the Times Colonist our press release that outlines our election initiative, a slate that spans 6 Regional Districts and approximately 60 individual races across Vancouver Island.

Candidates have been writing in to be a part of it, you can see them here: https://restoreislandrail.com/election-2026

Our goal is straightforward:

👉 Educate future councils about what municipalities and regional districts can do to help bring passenger and freight rail travel back to Vancouver Island.

👉 Help candidates who support the return of rail connect with voters and find their way onto councils up and down the Island Rail Corridor.

We believe voters deserve to know which candidates are willing to support a future with passenger and freight rail, and that this conversation should extend well beyond any single municipality.

Since the Times Colonist doesn't appear to have acknowledged our initiative, could you do us a favour?

Send a note to their tip line at [email protected] and ask them to acknowledge and report on the Restore Island Rail Society slate.

A simple message letting them know that this is an election initiative they should be aware of would help make sure the broader story is told.

Vancouver Island deserves to have all of its election options represented fairly.

Restore Island Rail
https://restoreislandrail.com