Agricultural Rail Services (April 12)
Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Rail lines are essential for the success of Alberta’s agriculture industry and the sustainability of our rural way of life, but the cost of agricultural rail services is steep.
Services have been cut, and rail lines, like grain elevators, are disappearing across the prairies despite the visionary efforts from groups like the Battle River Railway New Generation Co-op. My questions are to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Why is the minister waiting for the federal government to conduct a full review of the system instead of taking a proactive approach to protect our rail lines?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Mr. Hayden: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I share the concern with respect to the rail lines with the hon. member opposite. In fact, this past year through our rural development fund we funded a process of research and work with the communities in excess of $500,000 to try and maintain the rail lines. The abandonment of rail lines is a federal area of responsibility, and I, like the member opposite, am very concerned that we keep those rail lines for our residents.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Ms Pastoor: Thank you. In addition to that question, to the same minister: I know that you have done that, but what else is in the books as you’re going forward?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Mr. Hayden: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, I met with a representative from the short line in question this past week and met with the president and a board member from the review committee. We are presently looking at the report, and they’re working with producers to see what sort of producer car possibilities there are because we all recognize that rail, steel on steel, is the most energy efficient and environmentally responsible way to move goods.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Ms Pastoor: Thank you. What else has the minister done to encourage and help the actual producers to take the issues into their own hands as we have the great example from the Battle River railroad and as other producer groups have done in Saskatchewan? They have done these things. What other things have you done to actually help the producers go forward so they can do it themselves?
Mr. Hayden: Mr. Speaker, we’ve been supportive with producers, but we’ve also worked with groups outside of moving commodities towards the viability of these rail lines. A prime example within my constituency is Alberta Prairie Steam Tours, where the tourism opportunities were able to keep rail on the ground. That’s one of the areas where I’ve been in discussion with groups, to see if there are possibilities outside of producer cars to make these rail lines viable.
Alberta Hansard, April 12, 2010