Vancouver Island regional districts are urgently calling on the Canadian government to commit to protecting the historic Island Rail Corridor as the mid-March deadline to decide its fate inches closer.

In a Tuesday (Feb. 21) news release, the Capital Regional District board said itB次元官网网址檚 working alongside other regional districts on the Island B次元官网网址� representing more than 610,000 residents B次元官网网址� to encourage the federal government to sit down with the province and regional districts to provide an update of its position on the issue.

B次元官网网址淲e believe it is in the national, provincial and regional interest to protect this corridor and advance First Nations reconciliation efforts and should be a top priority for the federal government,B次元官网网址� said CRD board chair Colin Plant. B次元官网网址淚t is imperative that we recognize the significance of this crucial transportation infrastructure and work together to ensure its protection for generations to come.B次元官网网址�

The federal government has until March 14 to decide whether it will fund infrastructure on a disputed corridor segment that runs through a Nanoose-area First nation. That Court of Appeal-imposed deadline was the result of a lawsuit launched by the Snaw-Naw-As First Nation, which has maintained the land was stolen in 1912 and is no longer being used for railway purposes.

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The First Nation brought forward the suit after passenger service along the line ended in 2011, leaving it to deteriorate in the decade following.

Two rulings sided with Canada and the Island Corridor Foundation, which committed to restoring the entire 295-kilometre rail corridor if it can manage to secure sufficient funding. The court, however, will allow the First Nation to enforce its right of reversion if the feds donB次元官网网址檛 put up funding or reach a decision by the deadline.

B次元官网网址淩egional district boards across Vancouver Island previously supported the ICFB次元官网网址檚 request that the federal and provincial governments work together to create a multi-disciplinary team, reflecting all interests, to protect the corridor and advance rail transportation on Vancouver Island,B次元官网网址� said a Feb. 17 letter from the CRD to the ministers of transport and Crown-Indigenous relations. B次元官网网址淲e also request that the federal and provincial government equitably settle Indigenous claims within and along the Island Rail Corridor.B次元官网网址�

Transport Canada has said the federal governmentB次元官网网址檚 decision-making will be informed by B.C.B次元官网网址檚 engagement on the corridorB次元官网网址檚 future and remains under consideration.

B次元官网网址� With files from Jake Romphf

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