Canadian advocates back Detroit train route amid tension with U.S.
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Travelers at the VIA Rail station in Ottawa, Ontario, in 2021. Photo: David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Canadian transit advocates say they're optimistic about the proposed Windsor-to-Detroit passenger train route despite recent tensions with the U.S.
The big picture: The potential connection is part of a broader effort to expand passenger rail services between Chicago and Toronto, with a possible transit hub at Michigan Central Station along the way.
Zoom in: The need for another public transit option from Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit became clearer this month with Mayor Drew Dilkens' move to eliminate the city's tunnel bus to Detroit, says Josh Sankarlal of Activate Transit Windsor Essex.
What they're saying: "There's so much instability right now for people who rely on the tunnel bus to go to work, to visit family, to see their loved ones, because transit is consistently under attack in Windsor," Sankarlal tells Axios Detroit.
- "Whether or not the tunnel bus remains, knowing that there's something else in the works is good."
Catch up quick: Plans for the extended Chicago-Detroit-Toronto passenger rail route have been percolating since at least 2023.
- The local impact of those plans came into clearer view this month after we reported on Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada's visit to Michigan Central late last year.
- Possible plans for a new rail connection include a combined bus and train station at the revived train depot.
- Details have not been released, however, about the project's cost and exactly where on Michigan Central's campus the transit hub would be located.
The other side: VIA Rail did not return our messages seeking comment.
- Dilkens' office declined an interview request due to travel.
Friction point: President Trump's tariff threats have escalated U.S. tensions with Canada.
- "We're concerned about the temporary hostilities between our two countries, but hopefully that will resolve soon, and then we can proceed ahead with this project," Peter Miasek of Transport Action Ontario tells Axios Detroit.
- Canadians want and need high-quality passenger rail service options for regional transportation, according to a letter that Miasek signed in November to government officials in support of the Windsor-Detroit rail link.
What's next: A spokesperson for MDOT, which contracts with Amtrak to operate in Michigan, says it's continuing to meet with community partners and other groups on both sides of the border to discuss the project.