President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Via Rail, Mario Péloquin, is set to retire next month amidst increased scrutiny faced by the Crown corporation. Péloquin’s retirement in mid-January was announced by Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon’s office in a recent news release.
Expressing gratitude for Péloquin’s dedication and service to Via Rail over the past two-and-a-half years, MacKinnon’s statement wished him success in his future endeavors. With 41 years of experience in the transportation industry, Péloquin’s career journey from an operator and rail-traffic controller to various leadership positions in both the public and private sectors is highlighted in his biography on Via’s website.
The decision to retire coincides with growing dissatisfaction among passengers regarding ticket prices and service delays on Via Rail. Notably, the company has compensated hundreds of thousands of travelers with $31 million in travel vouchers for trains delayed by over an hour in the last year due to new speed regulations at rail crossings on CN tracks.
Recent incidents, such as nearly 300 passengers being stranded for up to 13 hours following a breakdown near Brockville, Ontario, have further highlighted Via Rail’s declining on-time performance. Data provided by the company to CBC News revealed a significant drop in on-time performance from 82% in 2013 to 23 percentage points lower in 2023.
Péloquin’s retirement aligns with the government’s progress on Canada’s inaugural high-speed rail network. Last week, MacKinnon disclosed plans to commence construction on the first phase of the project connecting Ottawa and Montreal in 2029.