VIA Rail Canada puts C$80 million into preservation of four historic stations

C$25 million project at Winnipeg Union Station to be completed this year

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WINNIPEG, Manitoba — VIA Rail Canada is in the midst of spending more than C$80 million to preserve and upgrade four heritage stations across its network, the company said last week. That includes C$25 million at Winnipeg, where work is expected to be completed later this year.

That money is being spent between 2020 and 2025 for renovation of four classic structures — Winnipeg Union Station, built in 1911; Vancouver Pacific Central Station, which dates to 1917; Halifax Station, completed in 1928; and Gare du Palais in Quebec City, dating to 1915.

“These iconic stations embody the history of railroading, and by extension the creation of Canada, which we have a responsibility to protect,” VIA Rail CEO Mario Péloquin said at an event in Winnipeg, according to a press release. “With this announcement we are ensuring that VIA can continue to maintain these landmark buildings and that we improve the customer experience by making these stations more accessible and sustainable for future generations to enjoy.”

The work in Winnipeg is being conducted within the guidelines of Parks Canada to respect the building’s Heritage status. The project has included upgraded interior platforms; upgrades to elevators and escalators, and replacement of the exterior platform, which will be the first fully accessible platform on the VIA long-distance and regional network.

“Our Winnipeg Union Station is a crucial point of our Western operations,” said Françoise Bertrand, Chair of VIA’s board of directors. “It plays an important role in our ability to deliver our mandate as it is part of the lifeline service to communities in Northern Manitoba and gives access to the iconic Canadian that travels between Vancouver and Toronto.”