Canadian National is considering discontinuing service on portions of the former British Columbia Railway. In its updated Three-Year Rail Network Plan submitted on July 11, CN has reclassified more than 200 miles of former BCOL mainline from “retain” to “discontinue.” The status change is the first step required for line abandonments in Canada.
The status change applies to the Squamish Subdivision from MP 43.0 at Thompson, B.C., to 157.6 at Lillooet, and the Lillooet Sub from MP 157.6 to 257.0, north of Edmond, B.C.
Both sections are scenic but challenging to maintain. In April 2020, CN abolished through freight on the Lillooet Subdivision, between Williams Lake and Lillooet, and the Squamish Subdivision between Lillooet and Squamish. The remaining traffic in Williams Lake and points north, destined for the Vancouver area, is routed via CN’s mainline from Prince George. The only remaining through train is the Rocky Mountaineer in the summer.
Section 141 of the Canada Transportation Act mandates that railway companies prepare and maintain a plan indicating their intentions for each line on their network, specifying whether they plan to continue operating it or if they intend to discontinue it within the next three years. The discontinuance process includes requirements for providing notice and the potential for sale, lease, or transfer of the line for continued operation. The Act also considers the public interest in the operation of railway lines, particularly in the case of grain-dependent branch lines.
The line is still owned by BC Rail and is leased to CN. The lease of BC Rail to CN caused a major political scandal known as “RailGate,” when the BC government was accused of lying about the state of BC Rail’s finances to justify the deal with CN in 2004. Other bidders claimed that the bid process was rigged in CN’s favor. In 2010, two ministerial aides pleaded guilty to charges of breach of trust and receiving a benefit for leaking information about the BC Rail leasing process.
Should the discontinuance be approved, management of the line would revert to the province. It is possible the listing of the line for discontinuance is a strategy to return it to Crown control or to leverage funding from the province or federal government, relieving CN of maintenance obligations.
—David Stowe
