The long-promised return of the Northlander passenger train moved closer to reality this Wednesday, as the Ontario government unveiled the first of three new trainsets that will eventually carry riders between Toronto and northern Ontario.
At a press conference in Etobicoke, Premier Doug Ford and Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli framed the arrival of the train as a major milestone in restoring passenger rail service north of North Bay, more than a decade after the route was cancelled.
Once operational, the Northlander will run roughly 740 kilometres between Toronto and Timmins, with a connection to Cochrane and stops serving communities across the north. The province says the service will reconnect residents to jobs, education and health care, while supporting economic development tied to mining and other resource industries.