Canada pledges funds for VIA Rail station upgrades

The government of Canada is providing 2.55 million Canadian dollars for improvements to VIA Rail Canada Inc.'s stations in London and Sarnia, Ontario.

At the railroad's London station, crews will upgrade the station's pedestrian tunnel and signage and perform infrastructure improvements for the station's bathroom facilities, heating system and tower cladding, according to a Transport Canada news release.

Sarnia station projects include roof repairs, upgraded bathrooms, repairs to masonry and doors and relocation of wayside power panels.

"This investment allows VIA Rail's rail corridor infrastructure to remain safe and secure while at the same time improving the passenger experience by making it more accessible and efficient for Canadians," said Minister of Transport Marc Garneau.

The projects are being partially funded through a CA$34.4 million federal investment in infrastructure.