VIA Rail continues heritage station upgrades

WINNIPEG — VIA Rail has announced it is spending $80 million to renovate heritage train stations in Winnipeg, Vancouver, Halifax and Quebec City.

The program was launched in 2020 and will wrap up in 2025. The four stations are the Winnipeg Union Station, Vancouver Pacific Station, Halifax Station and Gare du Palais. The announcement was made Aug. 24 in Winnipeg, where restorations will cost $25 million.

All renovations to the Winnipeg station and train shed are being done within the guidelines of Parks Canada to respect the heritage characteristics of the 1911 building, stated a release. The Winnipeg Station project achieved LEED Gold certification in 2022.

Upgrades to the four stations will include improved interior passenger platforms, improvements to elevators and escalators and exterior passenger platform replacement.

“These iconic stations embody the history of railroading, and by extension the creation of Canada, which we have a responsibility to protect,” stated VIA CEO Mario Peloquin in a statement. “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.”