MONTREAL and TORONTO — VIA Rail Canada announced earlier today it is proud to help promote Car Free Day. VIA’s Green Teams were on hand throughout the day to talk about VIA’s environmental initiatives and the advantages of travelling by train.
The Montreal area Green Teams greeted visitors to VIA’s kiosk facing Place-des-Arts and offered free rides to children on VIA’s mini-train at Phillips Square. Games and other surprises were planned throughout the day.
The Greater Toronto Green Teams also greeted visitors at VIA’s kiosk in Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square. VIA shared the podium with the mayor of Toronto, who proclaimed the City of Toronto’s participation in Car Free Day.
About VIA’s Green Teams
VIA boasts ten cross-functional teams from all parts of the company. “Team members contribute voluntarily to identify, develop and implement environment-friendly practices. Their mandate is to promote environmental awareness and they are the proponents of the greening of VIA,” said John Marginson, Chief Operating Officer.
An example of the kinds of projects undertaken by the Green Teams is the recovery and recycling program of old uniforms and damaged linen, which are donated to charitable organisations for reuse. This project earned VIA the 2005 Railway Association of Canada’s Environmental Protection Award. In June, VIA announced that only fair trade certified coffee would be served on-board its trains, another step in its goal to be a socially and environmentally responsible transportation company.
VIA is doing its share
“VIA’s environmental initiatives are not limited to fuel consumption and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” added John Marginson. “While they are a major focus of our efforts, we are also committed to our 3R Process, which is to reduce, reuse and recycle in all aspects of our operations.”
VIA relies on events such as Car Free Day to spread the word that passenger rail represents one of the most environmentally sustainable modes of public transportation available. Since 1990, VIA has reduced fuel consumption by 25% per passenger kilometre, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 13%. It also modernized its transcontinental equipment with the purchase of 21 cleaner-running locomotives in 2001.
Some environmental facts
– Transportation accounts for about 30% of Canada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
– Trains generate one fifth of GHGs produced by trucks per tonne per km and are five times more fuel efficient
– In terms of energy consumption and GHG capacity, one train replaces 10 buses or 180 cars
– Each tonne of paper recycled by VIA saves 17 trees, 6953 gallons of water, 463 gallons of oil and 583 pounds of air
About VIA
As Canada’s national passenger rail service, VIA Rail Canada’s mandate is to provide efficient, environmentally responsible and cost effective passenger transportation services, both in Canada’s business corridor and in remote and rural regions of the country. Serving more than 450 communities with a network of inter-city, transcontinental and regional trains, demand for rail services continues to grow as more Canadians turn to train travel as a safe and convenient travel choice.