A proposal to reroute Via Rail’s passenger service, from CN’s main line through Saskatoon and Biggar, to the CN Prairie North Line through Warman and Langham through to Edmonton, took another step forward last week.
A report by the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) and Discover Saskatoon (an agency promoting tourism in the Saskatoon region), shone a favourable light on the relocation plan. The report was tabled at the April 10 Saskatoon City Council Governance and Priorities Committee meting.
The report concluded the rerouting plan “opens a significant opportunity… to attract overnight visitors” that “could significantly boost our hospitality sector and enhance our city’s economic and cultural profile. The opportunity to enhance the arrival experience with a new station in Warman would not deter travellers from staying in Saskatoon.”
Warman Mayor Gary Philipchuk welcomed the report, noting its findings echoed the pitch made by a group of Saskatchewan City Mayors, including those representing Warman and Lloydminster, to Saskatoon City Council in December, 2023.
At that time, the mayors stated the current Saskatoon train station doesn’t provide adequate service to rail passengers. As a result, ridership is extremely low and the Saskatoon region is missing out on a significant market for Indigenous tourism, which is currently popular among Europeans.
“In the big picture, the goal is to improve rail transportation services in western Canada in general and this region in particular,” said Philipchuk. “And one aspect of that is to also boost the level of tourism that viable railway service can generate for our country and our province.
“One of the driving forces in tourism right now is people want to understand the history of Canada, and particularly the Indigenous aspects of that history,” he added. “This proposal to reroute passenger service helps the region by taking advantage of Warman’s proximity to Saskatoon, and especially to Wanuskewin Heritage Park.”
The SREDA-Discover Saskatoon report acknowledges there are “risks and challenges” involved in rerouting passenger rail service from the CN Main Line to the CN Prairie North Line.
These include: assessing the Prairie North Line’s suitability for passenger trains, because standards for freight traffic and passenger traffic differ. Rerouting passenger service could also impact VIA Rail’s schedule, “especially concerning daylight travel through the Canadian Rockies, which the schedule is constructed around,” adds the report.
It also states that a potential new railway station in Warman “could revolutionize the visitor experience. It offers an opportunity not just for an enhanced arrival point, but also for developing a hub that integrates local transport options. Collaborating with the City of Warman and other stakeholders will be crucial in realizing this vision.”
Philipchuk welcomed the conversation about regional transportation, noting the existing rail link between Saskatoon and Warman could provide a foundation for future passenger service.
“If we ever get a rapid transportation system from Warman to Saskatoon, that would be the line we’re taking,” he said.
Philipchuk said the final decision on rerouting passenger rail service ultimately lies with VIA Rail, and the federal government.
“But at least now it’s on their radar,” said Philipchuk. “We can now have a conversation with VIA Rail and federal government officials, whereas that wasn’t a possibility before. It also shows that there is support among many municipal partners for this proposal.”