Revive Algoma Passenger Rail - Restoring Passenger Rail from Sault Ste. Marie to Sudbury

It is vital to the sustainability of the communities in Algoma that the Sault Ste. Marie to Sudbury passenger line be reinstated. Communities in the Algoma District are geographically isolated from major urban centres. As the price of fuel continues to rise as we approach peak oil, such communities will become increasingly isolated. A rise in fuel means a rise in the price of goods, a rise in the cost of travel from the area, and a lower number of people who are willing to visit as tourists. The youth out-migration that the region has suffered through in the past few decades will escalate. One way to combat these things from happening is improved public national transportation options - namely, passenger rail. A connection between Sault Ste. Marie, Algoma, and a functional national rail network will be effective in keeping travel costs low and opening the area to more tourists. Passenger rail is also effective in terms of health and safety. Highways can become extremely dangerous at certain times of the year, and many local residents take great risk to travel for work, medical services, and to visit family. The option of a passenger train, especially in the winter, would help a great deal at lowering the casualties suffered on highways. We also see an environmental benefit to passenger rail. With technological developments such as the new clean-diesel engines, the environmental impact of passenger rail is extremely minimal when compared with personal automobiles. The more people who are able to ride trains means a healthier environment not only for today but for future generations as well. We the undersigned residents of Canada want to see a return of passenger services for Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma that allows for a connection to Sudbury and beyond.