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Train Travel in Canada
Train Travel in Canada
Train travel in Canada offers a relaxing and beautiful mode of getting to know this vast country. Your Canada train trip could be as short as a ride with BC Rail to Whistler from Vancouver, or as long as VIA Rail’s The Canadian service which takes you across five provinces.
VIA Rail services almost all of the major cities (except Calgary) and can be a comfortable and scenic way to see Canada. Dining cars, sleeping cars, parlor coaches, and roomettes allow you to get some peaceful shuteye while on an overnight Canada train trip. Luxury trains sometimes offer dome cars which allow passengers panoramic views.
Train travel can get a bit pricey, but the good news is that there are deals that VIA Rail offers which may appeal those desiring a Canada train vacation. The Canrail pass is available for $719 CDN, which gives you 12 days of unlimited travel in the economy class in one 30-day period. One important note: this price is only valid during off-season. Seniors, students and children under 17 get 10% off at any time of year.
The Canada train trip that allows visitors to see a lot while sitting back and relaxing is a train ride through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. VIA Rail offers service on The Canadian through five provinces starting in Toronto, passing through Jasper and ending in Vancouver. Unfortunately, The Canadian only runs three days a week, so it becomes necessary to plan around the train schedule. The Rocky Mountain Rail Tour Company’s Rocky Mountaineer will take you from Vancouver to Banff and on to Calgary. This Canada train vacation offers a service called the “Canadian Rockies Highlights” which consists of 5 nights and 6 days on the train. Highlights include some of the most popular tourist attractions in Canada, such as: tours of Yoho National Park and Banff Townsite, accommodation at the amazing Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, and admission to Vancouver Observation Deck at Harbour Centre and Calgary Tower. The Rocky Mountaineer is some of the best train travel in Canada and very popular, so get tickets well in advance!
VIA Rail’s other major train travel in Canada routes are the Western Canada runs from Winnnipeg to Churchill, Jasper to Prince Rubert, and Victoria to Courtenay. In Quebec you can take a mini Canada train vacation between Montreal and Quebec or to Ottawa. Ontario services Toronto, Windsor, Ottawa and Niagara Falls. Other Eastern Canada train vacations run between Montreal, Halifax, and the Gaspé.
Apart from VIA Rail, in the west BC Rail operates trains between some of the most popular British Columbia locations. The Royal Hudson is a steam train running from Vancouver to Squamish from June through September. The Cariboo Prospector runs from North Vancouver through Whistler and Lillooet on to Prince George. The Pacific Starlight Dinner Train serves meals in the evenings in old-fashioned 1940’s and dome cars.
Though prices have gone up and services are more limited than they used to be, it is still a Canada train vacation that is available in many of the major cities and tourist areas.
Train Travel in Canada
Train Travel in Canada
Train travel in Canada offers a relaxing and beautiful mode of getting to know this vast country. Your Canada train trip could be as short as a ride with BC Rail to Whistler from Vancouver, or as long as VIA Rail’s The Canadian service which takes you across five provinces.
VIA Rail services almost all of the major cities (except Calgary) and can be a comfortable and scenic way to see Canada. Dining cars, sleeping cars, parlor coaches, and roomettes allow you to get some peaceful shuteye while on an overnight Canada train trip. Luxury trains sometimes offer dome cars which allow passengers panoramic views.
Train travel can get a bit pricey, but the good news is that there are deals that VIA Rail offers which may appeal those desiring a Canada train vacation. The Canrail pass is available for $719 CDN, which gives you 12 days of unlimited travel in the economy class in one 30-day period. One important note: this price is only valid during off-season. Seniors, students and children under 17 get 10% off at any time of year.
The Canada train trip that allows visitors to see a lot while sitting back and relaxing is a train ride through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. VIA Rail offers service on The Canadian through five provinces starting in Toronto, passing through Jasper and ending in Vancouver. Unfortunately, The Canadian only runs three days a week, so it becomes necessary to plan around the train schedule. The Rocky Mountain Rail Tour Company’s Rocky Mountaineer will take you from Vancouver to Banff and on to Calgary. This Canada train vacation offers a service called the “Canadian Rockies Highlights” which consists of 5 nights and 6 days on the train. Highlights include some of the most popular tourist attractions in Canada, such as: tours of Yoho National Park and Banff Townsite, accommodation at the amazing Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, and admission to Vancouver Observation Deck at Harbour Centre and Calgary Tower. The Rocky Mountaineer is some of the best train travel in Canada and very popular, so get tickets well in advance!
VIA Rail’s other major train travel in Canada routes are the Western Canada runs from Winnnipeg to Churchill, Jasper to Prince Rubert, and Victoria to Courtenay. In Quebec you can take a mini Canada train vacation between Montreal and Quebec or to Ottawa. Ontario services Toronto, Windsor, Ottawa and Niagara Falls. Other Eastern Canada train vacations run between Montreal, Halifax, and the Gaspé.
Apart from VIA Rail, in the west BC Rail operates trains between some of the most popular British Columbia locations. The Royal Hudson is a steam train running from Vancouver to Squamish from June through September. The Cariboo Prospector runs from North Vancouver through Whistler and Lillooet on to Prince George. The Pacific Starlight Dinner Train serves meals in the evenings in old-fashioned 1940’s and dome cars.
Though prices have gone up and services are more limited than they used to be, it is still a Canada train vacation that is available in many of the major cities and tourist areas.
Airport Shuttles
Airport Shuttles
Use airport shuttle service to Lake Louise and Banff!
Sundog Transportation and Tours is the official Lake Louise and Banff airport and shuttle service for BanffNationalPark.com and DiscoverLakeLouise.com. They offer fast, convenient and affordable service that guarantees reliable transportation to and from Calgary International Airport as well as Edmonton Airport. They provide complete transportation from Calgary and Edmonton to Jasper. Call them at 888-786-3641 or at 780 852-9663.
http://www.discoverlakelouise.com
Airport Shuttles
Use airport shuttle service to Lake Louise and Banff!
Sundog Transportation and Tours is the official Lake Louise and Banff airport and shuttle service for BanffNationalPark.com and DiscoverLakeLouise.com. They offer fast, convenient and affordable service that guarantees reliable transportation to and from Calgary International Airport as well as Edmonton Airport. They provide complete transportation from Calgary and Edmonton to Jasper. Call them at 888-786-3641 or at 780 852-9663.
Click here for a public transportation map.
Getting to Lake Louise and Banff National Park
Driving to Banff and Lake Louise is as pleasant and scenic as it gets. You don’t have to worry about being in a traffic jam – just watch for our animals!
You can rent a car, hire a taxi, hop a bus or hire an airport shuttle service from the airport. Once you arrive, you will realize why Banff National Park and Lake Louise are the most beautiful places on earth.
You won’t get lost here and there’s no danger of traffic jams. Banff has a public bus to get around (pdf 4.03 MB) Banff, as well as 24-hour taxis, horse-drawn carriages and bicycles. Many hotels offer a complimentary shuttle service for guests and during the ski season there is a shuttle running between many hotels and the three ski areas.
There’s only one way to get to Lake Louise and that’s to the west. You have the option of driving the four-lane Trans Canada Highway or the windy, curvy 1A Highway if you’re looking for the longer, more scenic route. We highly recommend this.
Lake Louise Accessibility – Disabled Friendly
Our natural assets and viewpoints in Banff National Park can be reached by car. Many of the more popular attractions offer paved, wheelchair-friendly pathways to the door. Ride up a gondola, take a boat tour on Lake Minnewanka, or spend some quiet time on the river pathways. Most new buildings provide wheelchair access as do many hotels, theatres and restaurants. We highly recommend calling local business if you have any special needs or requirements.
more ditail : www.hostebook.com
How to travel by train across Canada. . .
How to travel by train across
Canada. . .
Country information
| Train operator in Canada: | VIA Rail, http://www.viarail.ca (train times, fares & online booking).Other train operators: Ontario Northland, Rocky Mountaineer, Algoma Central | // // |
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| Railpasses: | Buy a Canadian railpass | |||
| Time: | Montreal/Toronto GMT-5, Halifax GMT-4, Vancouver GMT-8. Clocks go forward 1 hour from 2nd Sunday in March to 1st Sunday in November. | |||
| Currency: | £1 = approx 1.70 Canadian Dollars. Currency converter | |||
| Hotels & flights: | Hotels in Canada Flights to Canada | |||
| Tourist information: | http://www.canadatourism.com Montréal: http://www.tourism-montreal.org Toronto: http://www.city.toronto.on.ca Vancouver: http://www.tourismvancouver.com Québec: http://www.bonjourquebec.com Nova Scotia: http://explore.gov.ns.caRecommended guidebooks | |||
| Page last updated: | 2 February 2010. |
On this page…Map of train routes in Canada Trains between Canada & the USA New York-Toronto/Montreal, Seattle-Vancouver Inter-city trains linking Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Québec The Canadian across Canada by train, Toronto – Winnipeg – Edmonton – Jasper – Vancouver The Océan Montreal-Halifax Other Canadian train routes UK & Europe – Canada by ship Hotels & accommodation in Canada On other pages…The Rocky Mountaineer Vancouver – Banff/Calgary/Jasper Whistler Mountaineer Vancouver – Whistler Right: The gleaming stainless steel of ‘The Canadian’ waits to leave Toronto for Vancouver, under the shadow of the famous CN Tower – don’t tell me you didn’t know that ‘CN’ stands for Canadian National Railways! |
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Train route map:
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Canadian long-distance trains are run by VIA Rail Canada, 
Two highly-recommended daily trains link New York with Canada, run by Amtrak, jointly with VIA Rail in the case of the New York-Toronto train.
New York ► Montreal / Toronto |
Toronto / Montreal ► New York |
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| Daily | Mon-Fri | Sat / Sun | Daily | Daily | |||
| New York depart | 07:15 | 08:15 | 07:45 | Montreal depart | 09:50 | ||
| Niagara Falls USA | 16:30 | | | | | Toronto depart | | | 08:30 | |
| Toronto arrive | 19:42 | | | | | Niagara Falls USA | | | 12:05 | |
| Montreal arrive | 18:30 | 17:50 | New York arrive | 19:40 | 21:45 | ||
The New York-Toronto train is the ‘Maple Leaf‘ with coach class & business class. The New York-Montreal train is the ‘Adirondack‘, with coach class. Both trains have comfortable air-conditioned reclining seats and a café car, and are a day well spent, highly recommended. Both trains travel right along the scenic Hudson River valley all the way from New York to Albany, with superb views of the river, including West Point Military Academy, Bannerman’s Island and Storm King Mountain. Try to sit on the left-hand side of the train leaving New York. The Adirondack passes through more great scenery in the Adirondack mountains. A wonderful ride! You can check times and fares and book online at http://www.amtrak.com.
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| Amfleet seating as used on the New York-Toronto ‘Maple Leaf’… | Amfleet cars, as used on the ‘Maple Leaf’… |
Seattle to Vancouver…
A daily articulated Spanish-designed ‘Talgo’ train links Seattle with Vancouver. For details, see http://www.amtrakcascades.com or http://www.amtrak.com. You can also travel between Vancouver and Seattle via Victoria, the British Columbia provincial capital, on Vancouver Island: There is a daily catamaran service between Seattle and Victoria (see http://www.victoriaclipper.com for times & fares), and regular buses link Victoria with Vancouver (see http://www.pacificcoach.com for times & fares).
Canadian inter-city trains |
Montréal – Ottawa – Toronto…
VIA Rail’s fast modern inter-city trains link Toronto, Ottawa & Montréal. Montréal to Toronto takes about 4 hours 40 minutes city centre to city centre, and the fare starts at around Can$85 if you book in advance. Toronto to Ottawa takes about 4 hours 15 minutes. You can check times, fares & book online at http://www.viarail.ca.
Montréal – Québec…
From Montréal to Québec, air-conditioned trains run several times daily, taking less than 3 hours. The fare is around Can$47 if you book in advance. Check times, fares & book online at http://www.viarail.ca.
“The Canadian“ |
Toronto – Winnipeg – Edmonton – Jasper – Vancouver
The greatest train in Canada and one of the world’s greatest train journeys, VIA Rail’s “Canadian” runs 3 times a week all-year-round linking Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Jasper & Vancouver. The journey takes 3 nights (4 nights in the new timetable from 2 December 2008), and the train consists of the original 1955-built stainless-steel coaches from the Canadian Pacific Railway’s “Canadian”. You can travel very affordably in ‘Economy class’ in a reclining seat, or in ‘Sleeper Touring class’ (formerly ‘Silver and Blue’ class) with a private sleeping-car room and restaurant car meals included.
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| Above: The Skyline dome car… | Above: “The Canadian” at Jasper… |
You can check times & fares for a specific date at http://www.viarail.ca.
Toronto ► Winnipeg ► Vancouver |
Vancouver ► Winnipeg ► Toronto |
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| Distance: | “The Canadian” | “The Canadian” | |||||
| 0 km | Toronto depart: | 22:00 (day 1) | Tue, Thur, Sat | Vancouver depart: | 20:30 (day 1) | Tue, Fri, Sun | |
| 1,943 km | Winnipeg arrive: | 08:01 (day 3) | Thur, Sat, Mon | Kamloops North arr/dep | 06:35 (day 2) | Wed, Sat, Mon | |
| Winnipeg depart: | 12:00 (day 3) | Thur, Sat, Mon | Jasper arrive: | 16:00 (day 2) | Wed, Sat, Mon | ||
| 2,702 km | Saskatoon arr/dep: | 23:47 (day 3) | Thur, Sat, Mon | Jasper depart: | 17:30 (day 2) | Wed, Sat, Mon | |
| 3,221km | Edmonton arrive: | 06:37 (day 4) | Fri, Sun, Tue | Edmonton arrive: | 23:00 (day 2) | Wed, Sat, Mon | |
| 3,221km | Edmonton depart: | 07:37 (day 4) | Fri, Sun, Tue | Edmonton depart: | 23:45 (day 2) | Wed, Sat, Mon | |
| 3,600 km | Jasper arrive: | 13:00 (day 4) | Fri, Sun, Tue | Saskatoon arr/dep | 09:10 (day 3) | Thu, Sun, Tue | |
| 3,600 km | Jasper depart: | 14:30 (day 4) | Fri, Sun, Tue | Winnipeg arrive: | 20:30 (day 3) | Thu, Sun, Tue | |
| – | Kamloops North arr/dep: | 23:09 (day 4) | Fri, Sun, Tue | Winnipeg depart: | 23:30 (day 3) | Thu, Sun, Tue | |
| 4,466 km | Vancouver arrive: | 09:42 (day 5) | Sat, Mon, Wed | Toronto arrive: | 09:30 (day 5) | Sat, Tue, Thur | |
Fares |
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| One-way per person | Economy Class – reclining seat | Sleeper Touring Class –‘section’ sleeper | Sleeper Touring Class –roomette or bedroom |
| Toronto to Vancouver | Can$421 to Can$584 | Can$834 to Can$1,348 | Can$1,281 upwards |
| The fare varies by time of year, higher in July & August, Easter, etc., lower at other times. Just go to http://www.viarail.ca to check fares for your date of travel in your chosen class. | |||
Economy class (reclining seats)…
In Economy Class, formerly known as Comfort Class, you have a comfortable reclining seat and access to the Comfort Class ‘Skyline’ car with coffee shop, lounge and ‘vista dome’. Sleeping in a seat may not be as comfortable as having a proper sleeper, but the seats recline to about 40 degrees, have loads of legroom and leg rests. An Economy class seat costs a fraction of the price of a Sleeper Touring class sleeper, and with a coffee shop, lounge area and observation dome, the facilities in Economy class are still excellent. It’s an experience streets ahead of a mere flight, and infinitely more comfortable than bus travel.
Sleeper Touring class (sleepers)…
This is the luxury option. Formerly known as Silver & Blue class, in Sleeper Touring class you have your own private 2-berth bedroom or 1-berth roomette with comfortable beds, the fare includes all meals in the elegant Sleeper Touring class restaurant car, and you can use the famous ‘Park’ observation-lounge car at the rear of the train. The ‘Park’ car, 18 of which were built and all named after Canadian parks, features a classic north American ‘vista dome’ upstairs, the bullet lounge at the rear (complimentary tea and coffee always available) and the mural lounge downstairs underneath the dome.
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| Economy class seating. Seats recline, and have fold-out leg-rests. | Sleeper Touring class dining-car… | Sleeper Touring class ‘Section’ sleepers, in daytime mode. | |||
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The Canadian’s ‘Park’ car:Left: Sleeper Touring class passengers can use the ‘Park’ car at the rear of the train. Below left: The ‘bullet lounge’ at the back of the train. Below right: Go up into the vista dome for superb views of the scenery all around the train. Economy class seats passengers also have access to a sightseeing dome. |
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There are several different types of sleeper, all with hot showers at the end of the corridor:
Sections: Sections (see photo above) are the cheapest type of sleeper, also known as simply ‘upper or lower berths’. Sections consist of open-plan seats arranged in pairs facing each other (useful bit of information: The person with the slightly more expensive lower berth always gets the seat facing forward during the day). At night, the seats pull together to form a lower berth, and an upper berth folds out from the wall. Curtains are fitted to each bunk for privacy. If you’ve seen Marilyn Monroe in ‘Some Like it Hot’, then you’ll have seen ‘sections’ – the girl band travels from Chicago to Florida in a sleeping-car with sections. Bring your own Marilyn…
Roomettes, bedroom: The next step up from a section is a roomette or bedroom. If you are travelling alone, you will travel in a roomette. This is a very compact single room, just big enough for a large seat with plenty of legroom, and a leg-rest with a toilet bowl hidden underneath. There is a washbasin in the corner. At night, a bed folds down from behind the seat, taking up almost all of the roomette. Bedrooms are larger rooms for two people, with separate en suite washroom and toilet. An upper and lower berth convert to seats for daytime use. Bedrooms are the same price per person as a roomette.
How to buy tickets…
The best and cheapest way to buy tickets is direct from VIA Rail, online at http://www.viarail.ca. You collect the tickets at the station before departure. Alternatively, you can make VIA Rail bookings in the UK through First Rail Ltd on 0845 644 3553. Canadian railpasses.
Can you stop off on the way? Yes, of course you can, but every leg requires a reservation and must be ticketed separately. So if you want to go Toronto-Vancouver stopping off for a few days in Jasper, you need to book a Toronto-Jasper ticket for a specific date, then a Jasper-Vancouver ticket for the date you want to travel onwards.
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| Pacific Central station, Vancouver. | The Canadian in the platform at Vancouver, waiting to board passengers for Toronto… |
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Jasper-Prince Rupert train – Description
Jasper-Prince Rupert train
You lean in closer to the panoramic windows to better take in the settlements, farms and sawmills dotting a landscape defined by mountains, lakes and forests. Tranquility settles over you like a warm blanket as the train – and the beauty – takes you further and further away from your daily life.
You cast a glance at your fellow travellers in the lounge and notice the beatific smiles on their faces. When you turn back to the window, your reflection tells you that you’re smiling too.
Explore a region rich in First Nations culture and history
The Jasper-Prince Rupert train makes a two-day journey from the rugged splendour of Jasper National Park and the Canadian Rockies to the haunting beauty of the Pacific Coast.
Choose the relaxing ambience and attentive service of budget travel in Economy class, or upgrade to Touring class to enjoy exclusive access to a dome car and all meals included in the price of your ticket.
Toronto-Vancouver train – Description
Toronto-Vancouver train – Description
You wake up and open the curtains to be greeted by the majestic Rocky Mountains slowly emerging from a veil of clouds. You prepare quickly for breakfast, spurred on by the gentle rocking of the train and the promise of freshly brewed coffee.
After leisurely savouring your breakfast omelette, you collect your book and head to the Skyline car. There, you’ll sip, read, socialize… and scan the panoramic view for a glimpse of elk moving across the valley.
Relive the romance of train travel
The Toronto-Vancouver train, which takes four days to travel between one of Canada’s largest cities and the Pacific Coast, lets you see the breadth of the country like never before.
Take in boreal forests reflecting on the surface of the Great Lakes. Prairie sunsets painting vast skies in shades of fire. Mountain peaks towering above as the train winds through the Rockies.
Choose the relaxing ambience and attentive service of budget travel in Economy class, or upgrade to the pleasures of a cosy bed, a gourmet table and exclusive access to stylish lounges in Sleeper Touring class.
about Transportation in Canada
Transportation in Canada
Canada is a developed country whose economy includes the extraction and export of raw materials from its large area. Because of this, it has a transportation system which includes more than 1,400,000 kilometres (870,000 mi) of roads, 10 major international airports, 300 smaller airports, 72,093 km (44,797 mi) of functioning railway track, and more than 300 commercial ports and harbours that provide access to the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans as well as the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence Seaway.[1] In 2005, the transportation sector made up 4.2% of Canada’s GDP, compared to 3.7% for Canada’s mining and oil and gas extraction industries.[2]
Transport Canada oversees and regulates most aspects of transportation within Canadian jurisdiction. Transport Canada is under the direction of the federal government’s Minister of Transport. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is responsible for maintaining transportation safety in Canada by investigating accidents and making safety recommendations.
| Industry | Share of transportation GDP (%) |
|---|---|
| Air transportation | 9 |
| Rail transportation | 13 |
| Water transportation | 3 |
| Truck transportation | 35 |
| Transit and ground passenger transportation |
12 |
| Pipeline transportation | 11 |
| Scenic and sightseeing transport/Transport support |
17 |
| Total: | 100 |
Roads
The Trans-Canada highway in Chilliwack, BC
There is a total of 1,042,300 km (647,700 mi) of road in Canada,of which 413,600 km (257,000 mi) are paved, including 17,000 km (11,000 mi) of expressways). As of 2006, 626,700 km (389,400 mi) were unpaved.[3]
In 2006, there were 19,499,843 road vehicles registered in Canada, of which 96.1% were vehicles under 4.5 tonnes (4.4 LT; 5.0 ST), 2.3% were vehicles between 4.5 and 15 t (4.4 and 14.8 LT; 5.0 and 16.5 ST) tonnes and 1.6% were 15 t (15 LT; 17 ST) or greater. These vehicles travelled a total of 326.14 billion kilometres, of which 296.9 billion was for vehicles under 4.5 t (4.4 LT; 5.0 ST), 7.4 billion was for vehicles between 4.5 and 15 t (4.4 and 14.8 LT; 5.0 and 16.5 ST) and 21.8 billion was for vehicles over 15 t (15 LT; 17 ST). For the 4.5 to 15 t (4.4 to 14.8 LT; 5.0 to 16.5 ST) trucks, 92.2% of vehicle-kilometres were intra-province trips, 4.5% were inter-province and 3.2% made between Canada and the US. For trucks over 15 t (15 LT; 17 ST), 58% of vehicle-kilometres were intra-province trips, 18.4% inter-province trips, 15.4% Canada-US trips and 8.4% trips made outside of Canada.
Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan has a quarter of US-Canada trade cross over it.
Canada’s vehicles consumed a total of 31.1 million cubic metres (196 Mbbl) of gasoline and 10.1 million cubic metres (64 Mbbl) of diesel.[4] Trucking generated 35% of the total GDP from transport, compared to 25% for rail, water and air combined (the remainder being generated by the industry’s transit, pipeline, scenic and support activities).[2] Hence roads are the dominant means of passenger and freight transport in Canada.
Roads and highways were managed by provincial and municipal authorities until construction of the Northwest Highway System (the Alaska Highway) and the Trans-Canada Highway project initiation. The Alaska Highway of 1942 was constructed during World War II for military purposes connecting Fort St. John, British Columbia with Fairbanks, Alaska.[5] The transcontinental highway, a joint national and provincial expenditure, was begun in 1949 under the initiation of the Trans Canada Highway Act in December 10, 1949. The 7,821 km (4,860 mi) highway was completed in 1962 at a total expenditure of $1.4 billion.[6]
Internationally, Canada has road links with both the lower 48 US states and Alaska. The Ministry of Transportation maintains the road network in Ontario and also employs Ministry of Transport Enforcement Officers for the purpose of administering the Canada Transportation Act and related regulations.[7][8] The Department of Transportation in New Brunswick performs a similar task in that province as well.
Regulations enacted in regards to Canada highways are the 1971 Motor Vehicle Safety Act[9] and the 1990 Highway Traffic Act[10]
The safety of Canada’s roads is moderately good by international standards, and is improving both in terms of accidents per head of population and per billion vehicle kilometers[11].
Air transport
Air transportation made up 9% of the transport sector’s GDP generation in 2005. Canada’s largest air carrier and its flag carrier is Air Canada, which had 34 million customers in 2006 and operates 368 aircraft (including Air Canada Jazz).[12] CHC Helicopter, the largest commercial helicopter operator in the world, is second with 150 aircraft[13] and WestJet, a low-cost carrier formed in 1996, is third with 86 aircraft.[14] Canada’s airline industry saw significant change following the signing of the US-Canada open skies agreement in 1995, when the marketplace became less regulated and more competitive.[15]
The Canadian Transportation Agency employs transportation enforcement officers to maintain aircraft safety standards, and conduct periodic aircraft inspections, of all air carriers.[16] The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority is charged with the responsibility for the security of air traffic within Canada. In 1994 the National Airports Policy was enacted[17]
Principal airports
Of over 1,700 registered Canadian aerodromes, certified airports, heliports, and floatplane bases,[18] 26 are specially designated under Canada’s National Airports System[19] (NAS): these include all airports that handle 200,000 or more passengers each year, as well as the principal airport serving each federal, provincial, and territorial capital. However, airports such as Montréal-Mirabel International Airport, which has less that 200,000 passengers has not been removed from the list.[19] The Government of Canada retains ownership of these airports and leases them to local authorities. The next tier consists of 64 regional/local airports formerly owned by the federal government, most of which have now been transferred to other owners (most often to municipalities).[19]
Below is a table of Canada’s ten biggest airports by passenger traffic in 2008. Toronto Pearson International Airport, is the busiest airport in Canada, and was also the only Canadian airport ranked in the top 30 airports in the world by number of passengers in 2006 (although it dropped off the list in 2007). In 2008, 95.9 million passengers travelled through Canada’s ten largest airports.
As of November 2008 NAV CANADA reported that there were 41 airports with an air traffic control tower and 59 airports with a flight service station (FSS).[20]
Toronto Pearson, Canada’s busiest airport.
Vancouver International
Rank  |
Airport |
Location |
Total Passengers |
Annual Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toronto Pearson International Airport[21] | Toronto, Ontario | 32,334,831 | 2.8% |
| 2 | Vancouver International Airport[22] | Vancouver, British Columbia | 17,852,459 | 2.0% |
| 3 | Calgary International Airport[23] | Calgary, Alberta | 12,506,893 | 2.0% |
| 4 | Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport[24] | Montreal, Quebec | 12,379,843 | -0.2% |
| 5 | Edmonton International Airport[25] | Edmonton, Alberta | 6,437,334 | 6.1% |
| 6 | Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport[26] | Ottawa, Ontario | 4,320,000[A] | 5.5% |
| 7 | Halifax Stanfield International Airport[27] | Halifax, Nova Scotia | 3,578,931 | 3.2% |
| 8 | Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport[28] | Winnipeg, Manitoba | 3,570,033 | 0.1% |
| 9 | Victoria International Airport[29] | Victoria, British Columbia | 1,538,417 | 3.8% |
| 10 | Kelowna International Airport[30] | Kelowna, British Columbia | 1,389,883 | 1.9% |
- A Ottawa Airport 2008 passenger number estimated from graph
Rail
A CPR freight train in Rogers Pass.
In 2007, Canada had a total of 72,212 km (44,870 mi)[31] of freight and passenger railway, of which 31 km (19 mi) is electrified.[citation needed] While intercity passenger transportation by rail is now very limited, freight transport by rail remains common. Total revenues of rail services in 2006 was $10.4 billion, of which only 2.8% was from passenger services. The Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railway are Canada’s two major freight railway companies, each having operations throughout North America. In 2007, 357 billion tonne-kilometres of freight were transported by rail, and 4.33 million passengers travelled 1.44 billion passenger-kilometres (an almost negligible amount compared to the 491 billion passenger-kilometres made in light road vehicles). 34,281 people were employed by the rail industry in the same year.[32]
Nation-wide passenger services are provided by the federal crown corporation Via Rail. Three Canadian cities have commuter rail services: in the Montreal area by AMT, in the Toronto area by GO Transit, and in the Vancouver area by West Coast Express. Smaller railways such as Ontario Northland, Rocky Mountaineer, and Algoma Central also run passenger trains to remote rural areas.
In Canada railways are served by standard gauge, 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm), rails.
Canada has rail links with the lower 48 US States, but no connection with Alaska other than a train ferry service from Prince Rupert, British Columbia, although a line has been proposed.[33] There are no other international rail connections.
Waterways
The Port of Vancouver, Canada’s busiest port.
In 2005, 139.2 million tonnes of cargo was loaded and unloaded at Canadian ports.[34] The Port of Vancouver is the busiest port in Canada, moving 68 million tonnes or 15% of Canada’s total in domestic and international shipping in 2003.[35]
Transport Canada oversees most of the regulatory functions related to marine registration[36], safety of large vessel[37], and port pilotage duties.[38] Many of Canada’s port facilities are in the process of being divested from federal responsibility to other agencies or municipalities.[39]
Inland waterways comprise 3,000 km (1,900 mi), including the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Transport Canada enforces acts and regulations governing water transportation and safety.[40]
| Rank |
Port |
Province |
TEUs |
Boxes |
Containerized Cargo (Tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 2,207,730 | 1,282,807 | 17,640,024 |
| 2 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,288,910 | 794,735 | 11,339316 |
| 3 | Halifax | Nova Scotia | 530,722 | 311,065 | 4,572,020 |
| 4 | St. John’s | Newfoundland and Labrador | 118,008 | 55,475 | 512,787 |
| 5 | Fraser River | British Columbia | 94,651 | N/A | 742,783 |
| 6 | Saint John | New Brunswick | 44,566 | 24,982 | 259,459 |
| 7 | Toronto | Ontario | 24,585 | 24,585 | 292,834 |
Ferry services
The Spirit of Ontario I, part of The Breeze fast ferry service.
- Passenger ferry service
-
- Vancouver Island to the mainland
- several Sunshine Coast communities to the mainland and to Alaska.
- Internationally to St. Pierre and Miquelon
- Automobile ferry service
-
- Nova Scotia to Newfoundland and Labrador,
- Quebec to Labrador
- Labrador and the island of Newfoundland.
- Train ferry service
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- British Columbia to Alaska or Washington state.
Canals
Welland Canal, Port Weller, Lock #1
The St. Lawrence waterway was at one time the world’s greatest inland water navigation system. The main route canals of Canada are those of the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes. The others are subsidiary canals.
- Saint Lawrence Seaway
- Welland Canal
- Soo Locks
- Trent-Severn Waterway
- Rideau Canal
Ports and harbours
The National Harbours Board administered Halifax, Saint John, Chicoutimi, Trois-Rivières, Churchill, and Vancouver until 1983. Over 300 harbours across Canada were supervised by the Department of Transport.[5] After divestiture Transport Canada oversees only 17 Canada Port Authorities for the 17 largest shipping ports.[42]
West coast
East coast
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Northern and central
Churchill, Manitoba Seaport
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Merchant marine
Canada’s merchant marine comprised a total of 173 ships (1,000 gross register tons (GRT) or over) 2,129,243 GRT or 716,340 metric tons deadweight (DWT) at the end of 2007.[3]
Pipelines
The TransCanada pipeline route
Pipelines are part of the energy extraction and transportation network of Canada and are used to transport natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, synthetic crude and other petroleum based products. Canada has 23,564 km (14,642 mi) of pipeline for transportation of crude and refined oil, and 74,980 km (46,590 mi) for liquefied petroleum gas.[3]
Urban transport
Some North American cities arranged by size along the horizontal axis and public transportation use on the vertical axis. Canada has higher public transit use than American cities of similar size and less than New York and the large Mexican cities listed.
Most Canadian cities have public transportation, if only a bus system. Six Canadian cities have rapid transit systems and three have commuter rail systems (see below). In 2006, 11% of Canadians used public transportation to get to work. This compares to 72.3% that got to work by car, 6.4% that walked and 1.3% that rode a bike.[43] In general, Canadian cities have rates of public transit use which are two to three times as high as comparably sized US cities; census data indicates 4.8% of Americans take public transit to work.[44][45] This means that transportation planners must allow for higher passenger volumes on Canadian transit systems than American ones.
As a result of lower government funding, Canadian cities have to recover a much higher share of their costs out of operating revenues than American counterparts.[citation needed] This lack of funding may explain why there is resistance to the high capital costs of rail systems and there are only a few light rail systems in Canada.
Rapid transit systems
There are six urban rapid transit systems operating in Canada: The Toronto Subway, the Montreal Metro, the Vancouver SkyTrain, the Calgary C-Train, the Edmonton Light Rail Transit and the O-Train in Ottawa.
| Location | Transit | Weekday Daily Ridership | System Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto, Ontario | Toronto Subway/RT | 945,000 (as of 2007)[46] | 68.3 km (as of 2007)[46] |
| Montreal, Quebec | metro or métro | 835,000+ | 65.33 km |
| Vancouver, British Columbia | SkyTrain | 354,000 | 68.7 km |
| Calgary, Alberta | C-Train | 297,500 (as of 2008)[47] | 44.9 km[48] |
| Edmonton, Alberta | Edmonton LRT | 50,000[49] | 15.2 km |
| Ottawa, Ontario | O-Train | 10,000 | 8 km |
Commuter train systems
Commuter trains exist in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver:
| Location | Transit | Daily Ridership | System Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto, Ontario | GO Transit | 170,000[50] | 390 km[51] |
| Montreal, Quebec | Agence métropolitaine de transport | 51,900 (as of 2003)[52] | 201 km (as of 2003)[52] |
| Vancouver, British Columbia | West Coast Express | 10,500 (as of 2008)[53] | 69 km[54] |
History
European contact
Aboriginal peoples in Canada, relied on canoes, kayaks, umiaks and Bull Boats, in addition to the snowshoe, toboggan and sled in winter for transportation prior to European contact. Europeans adopted these technologies as they pushed deeper into the continent’s interior, and were thus able to travel via the waterways that fed from the Saint Lawrence River and Hudson Bay.[55]
In the 1800s and early 1900s transportation relied on harnessing oxen to Red River ox carts or horse to waggon. Maritime transportation was via manual labour such as canoe or wind on sail. Water or land travel speeds was approximately 8 to 15 km/h (5 to 9 mph).[56]
Settlement was along river routes. Agricultural commodities were perishable, and trade centres were within 50 km (31 mi). Rural areas centred around villages, and they were approximately 10 km (6 mi) apart. The advent of steam railways and steamships connected resources and markets of vast distances in the late 1800s.[56] Railways also connected city centres, in such a way that the traveller went by sleeper, railway hotel, to the cities. Crossing the country by train took four or five days, as it still does by car. People generally lived within 5 mi (8 km) of the downtown core thus the train could be used for inter-city travel and the tram for commuting.
The advent of the interstate or Trans-Canada Highway in Canada in 1963 established ribbon development, truck stops, and industrial corridors along throughways.
National Airports Policy
National Airports Policy
The national airports system (NAS)
- The federal government’s National Airports Policy (NAP) provides a framework that clearly defines the federal government’s role with airports. That role will be defined through two main levels of federal involvement in airports with scheduled passenger traffic: nationally-significant airports that will form a National Airports System (NAS) and regional/local airports. The NAS comprises 26 airports that link the country from coast to coast and internationally. The NAS includes those airports considered essential to Canada’s air transportation system, supporting both domestic prosperity and international competitiveness.
Criteria for the NAS
- The NAS includes airports in all national, provincial and territorial capitals, as well as airports with annual traffic of 200,000 passengers or more. (See Appendix A). Currently, the 26 NAS airports serve 94 per cent of all scheduled passenger and cargo traffic in Canada and are the points of origin and destination for almost all interprovincial and international air service in Canada.
- Airports maintaining annual passenger levels of 200,000 for three consecutive years are candidates for inclusion in the NAS. Conversely, airports other than those serving national, provincial or territorial capitals, whose traffic falls below 200,000 passengers for three consecutive years, will no longer be considered part of the NAS.
- The criteria for NAS airports — traffic levels and/or location in a national, provincial, or territorial capital — will be applied in a clear, consistent and equitable fashion.
Significance of the NAS
- The development of the NAS reflects a commitment on the part of the federal government to the viability of a national system of safe, commercially-oriented and cost-effective airports. While the federal government will guarantee the ongoing viability of the NAS as a whole, this does not necessarily mean its continued direct operation or funding. The government will commercialize the National Airports System through the transfer of responsibility for the operation, management and development of NAS airports to Canadian Airport Authorities (CAAs). Local operation is preferable since it has proven to be more cost-effective, more responsive to local needs and better able to match levels of service to local demands.
- As a general rule, airports within the NAS will be required to become financially self-sufficient (operating and capital costs) within five years beginning April 1, 1995. For certain NAS airports, it is recognized that undercapitalization in the past or future capital requirements may result in some adjustments to this principle.
Local Operation Of NAS Airports
- While local operation of NAS airports is the preferred approach, the federal government will retain ownership of these nationally significant airports to guarantee the integrity and long-term viability of the NAS. Ownership is retained through the long-term leasing of airports to CAAs.
- The federal government has examined the principles under which the previous local airport authorities (LAAs) were created and has revised them in the areas relating to the CAA’s accountability to the communities they serve. Agreements with the existing four LAAs will be honoured, and the authorities will be invited to consider the enhanced principles. The new principles address issues such as the appointment of directors, conflict-of-interest requirements and community consultation.
- CAAs are not-for-profit corporations headed by boards of directors. Those directors are nominated by different levels of government and other participating organizations such as boards of trade and labour organizations. The federal government may also appoint up to three directors. Directors cannot be elected politicians or government employees.
- CAAs will lease NAS airports from the federal government. Through this commercialization of the NAS airports, each individual NAS airport will be operationally self-sufficient within five years. Collectively, these lease arrangements with CAAs will improve the federal government’s financial position.
- Transport Canada will continue to operate NAS airports until a suitable airport authority assumes responsibility. If the transfers of the Yellowknife and Whitehorse airports are not completed with the governments of the Northwest Territories or Yukon as part of the transfer of Arctic airports program, they may be transferred to CAAs.
- Starting immediately, the federal government will take steps to move the NAS airports towards self-sufficiency and thereby enhance the viability and attractiveness of these airports to local operators. Details on the steps to be taken are outlined below.
Operational Efficiencies for NAS Airports
- To make NAS airports attractive to CAAs, the federal government will initiate a number of measures to move each airport toward operational and capital self sufficiency within five years.
- These measures include adjusting current levels of service to reflect demand and a wider application of existing user fees and charges.
- Once a local operator assumes responsibility for an NAS airport, there is greater potential to generate commercial opportunities and identify operational efficiencies (e.g. – reduction in overhead costs, timely capital investment, quick response to local commercial initiatives).
Regulatory Amendments
- The federal government will continue to set safety and security standards for all Canadian airports. The means to accomplish this are already in place and include policy-setting, airport transfer agreements, airport certification or regulation.
- Regulations will be introduced that will ensure specific levels of emergency response services at qualifying airports.
Satellite Airports
- Several of the larger international airports within the NAS group are complemented by “satellite” airports. These airports help ensure the safe and efficient operation of the larger international airports they serve by diverting small, general aviation (recreational and training aircraft) away from the larger airport.
- Initially, these satellites will be included as part of the NAS and will be offered to those airport authorities wishing to assume the operational responsibility of the corresponding satellite airports. These airport authorities must recognize, however, that federal funding to satellite airports will be withdrawn during the next five years. If the airport authority does not wish to assume responsibility for the satellite, the satellite airport will lose its “sub-set” status and other transfer alternatives for that airport will be explored.
Other Transport Canada Services
- In addition to airport operation, the federal government also provides air navigation services and facilities at Canadian airports. Provision of these services is based on airport traffic volumes, not airport ownership. The federal government is reviewing these services to ensure they match the needs of the local aviation communities while maintaining safety. The government is also consulting with the aviation community and affected parties on the potential for commercializing the air navigation system.
- Aviation security measures at NAS airports are provided under existing security regulations. These regulations apply to certified airports, regardless of who owns or operates the airport. Regulatory consultation on security regulation is being undertaken by the federal government.
Canada travel 