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Bill C-15: Canada's High-Speed Rail Network Act Finally Brings Ontario-Quebec HSR to Reality (2025)

  Over 40 Years in the Making: High-Speed Rail Legislation Finally Arrives in Canada The positive momentum to building Canada's first dedicated high-speed rail in Ontario-Quebec continues with the tabling of BILL C-15 An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on November 4, 2025 for FIRST READING, November 18, 2025. In it under Part 5 -- Various Measures - Division 1 is the High-Speed Rail Network Act . As a person who has watched the ups and downs of attempts to implement high-speed rail in Canada for over 40 years there is some optimism. The Long History of High-Speed Rail in Canada The Canadian federal government study asking the simple question in 1981 - Is there a future, a potential, for high-speed passenger rail services in Canada? That was then and nothing happened. I remember well in 2000, the ill-fated VIA Fast Study that died during the Chrétien/Martin Liberal feud. Just maybe the 2025 High-Speed Rail Network Act can finally begin ...
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Spain's Different High-Speed Rail Operators - A Canadian's Perspective

  RENFE AVE Atocha Station Madrid - copyright Paul Langan Spain's high-speed rail network is one of Europe's most extensive, offering travelers an efficient and scenic way to explore the country. With multiple operators now competing on the same routes, passengers have more choices than ever. Here's my hands-on experience riding three major high-speed rail trains across Spain. I did not use the RENFE AVLO high-speed trains this trip, as I had rode it on a previous trip. Why You Shouldn't Compare High Speed Train Operators Before diving into my journey, let's address something important: comparing different high-speed rail operators in Spain isn't always fair or useful. You're often comparing trains of vastly different ages (2 years old versus 20 years old), different configurations (single-level versus double-decker), and operating on different routes with varying infrastructure. Instead, I recommend evaluating each operator on its own merits and enjoying...
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The End of the Line: Why the World's Hyperloop Companies Failed to Deliver the 1000 km/h Dream

Executive Summary: The Derailment of the Fifth Mode of Transport The Hyperloop concept, based on entrepreneur Elon Musk's 2013 white paper, was presented as a revolutionary "fifth mode" of transportation promising near-supersonic ground travel. However, by the close of 2023, the sector had undergone a severe market correction marked by corporate failures and strategic retreats. The most significant player, Hyperloop One (formerly Virgin Hyperloop), declared bankruptcy and ceased operations at the end of December 2023, effectively ending the most heavily funded commercial effort. This analysis confirms that the sector's decline was driven by two distinct types of market exit: (1) outright corporate liquidation and bankruptcy (exemplified by Hyperloop One and Arrivo Loop), and (2) pragmatic strategic pivots where companies abandoned the core vacuum-tube technology in favor of more attainable, incremental systems (e.g., Nevomo and Zeleros). The systemic failure stemme...
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High-Speed Rail: The Ultimate Climate Change Solution for Sustainable Transportation in 2026

Discover how high-speed rail is revolutionizing sustainable travel with 95% fewer emissions than cars and planes Why High-Speed Rail Is Critical for Fighting Climate Change Many of the studies on the High-Speed Rail Canada website show the environmental benefits of high-speed rail. Here is a global summary of the positives of implementing high-speed rail and combatting climate change.The global transportation sector faces an urgent crisis. In 2022 alone, transport CO2 emissions grew by 3%, making it one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. With traditional climate solutions falling short, high-speed rail (HSR) emerges as a game-changing technology that can dramatically reduce transport emissions while providing superior passenger experience. High-speed rail isn't just another transportation option—it's a proven climate solution that's already transforming how millions of people travel across Europe and Asia. Countries like France and Spa...
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ALTO High-Speed Rail Project a Nation Building Project

  Originally reported by CTV New Sept.11, 2025 Prime Minister Mark Carney is preparing to unveil his highly anticipated inaugural phase of national infrastructure initiatives, featuring projects that stretch across Canada's three coastlines, including a major liquefied natural gas expansion, CTV News has learned. Carney plans to reveal the first five approved projects during an announcement in Edmonton, Alberta, this Thursday. Based on documentation obtained by CTV News, the approved projects include LNG Canada Phase 2 in Kitimat, British Columbia, which would double the country's liquefied natural gas output capacity. While former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously maintained there was insufficient economic justification for Canadian LNG exports to Europe, Carney's administration has recently been actively marketing Canadian LNG to emerging markets, including Germany. Last month, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson told "The Vassy Kapelos Show...
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How High-Speed Rail is Revolutionizing Travel and Reducing Aviation in France and Spain

The remarkable transformation of European transport through TGV and AVE networks NOTE:   I have travelled on high-speed lines in Spain and look forward to riding multiple hsr operators in France and Spain in the coming months.  In the race to decarbonize transportation and reduce carbon emissions, two European nations have emerged as global leaders in the modal shift from aviation to rail: France and Spain . Through massive investments in high-speed rail infrastructure and strategic policy interventions, both countries have successfully convinced millions of passengers to choose trains over planes for domestic travel. The Numbers Don't Lie: A Transportation Revolution in Motion The statistics paint a compelling picture of this transportation transformation. In France, the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) network now carries 54 billion passenger-kilometers annually , which is more than four times the volume of domestic air transport. This represents a stunning reversal of ...
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