HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — A proposal to launch commuter rail service in Halifax was killed Tuesday as the regional council voted unanimously to no longer pursue the concept.
The council’s motion sites infrastructure requirements, financial implications, and operational constraints for the decision. The vote came after a closed-door session to discuss confidential information, News 95.7 radio reports.
Council member Tim Outhit, a proponent of the commuter proposal, wrote in a Facebook post that the council has not been able “to reach an acceptable terms, conditions, pricing and track access agreement with [Canadian National].” Expanded rail traffic from the port of Halifax was also a factor, he said. Rail and light rail remain long-term possibilities, he wrote, but immediate efforts will shift to highway improvements and possible Bus Rapid Transit.
