VIA Rail reports ridership, safety achievements in 2022

VIA Rail Canada Inc. announced this week the results of its 2022 financial statements, which showed ridership across the network jumped 118.4% to 1.7 million passengers in 2022 compared to 2021 ridership.

In line with the ridership increase, revenue from passenger fare rose 168.2% to CA$198.8 million year over year, VIA Rail officials said in a press release.

Additionally, the railroad achieved its best-ever safety record last year. VIA Rail received the 2022 Railway Association of Canada Safety Award that recognized its training excellence, VIA Rail officials said.

"2022 was a rebuilding year" at VIA Rail following two years of the pandemic affecting how often people traveled on passenger rail, railroad officials said.

VIA Rail’s new fleet of trains for the Quebec City-Windsor corridor was rolled out in 2022. The new trains are among the most accessible in the world and offer comfortable seats, Braille and embossed signage and improved onboard recycling options, VIA Rail officials said. The modern engines reduce emissions and can be converted to a diesel-electric dual mode, and are able to communicate directly with maintenance centers for real-time status updates.

In 2022, VIA Rail was the first federal Canadian organization to submit a multiyear accessibility plan under the Accessible Canada Act, which prohibits discrimination based on disability. Also last year, the railroad released its five-year sustainability plan.