VIA Rail backtracks on plans to end Guildwood Station service in Scarborough

VIA Rail has reversed its decision to discontinue service at the Guildwood station in Scarborough. The railway company announced on its website that it will continue to operate in accordance with its winter schedule, maintaining service at the station. VIA Rail acknowledged the significance of reliable rail transportation, particularly for the Scarborough community, and stated that they would continue to consult with community leaders regarding the situation.

The announcement was made after a group of Scarborough MPs expressed their concerns, stating that the decision was opaque and lacked transparency, as no public consultations had been conducted. Scarborough Centre-Don Valley East MP Salma Zahid, Scarborough Southwest MP Doly Begum, Scarborough-Woburn MP Michael Coteau, and Scarborough Agincourt MP Jean Yip criticized the decision, emphasizing that the station was heavily utilized by tens of thousands of passengers each year.

They called for a meeting with VIA Rail’s interim president and CEO, Mathieu Paquette, to further discuss the matter. Earlier this month, VIA Rail cited improved travel times as the reason for discontinuing service at both the Guildwood and Malton stations. However, Scarborough residents argued that the decision would negatively impact them, as they would have to travel longer distances to connect with rail service at Union Station or Oshawa.

Councillor Paul Ainslie from Scarborough-Guildwood emphasized that the detour would be more than just an inconvenience for those in his ward. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow commended Scarborough residents for standing up against VIA Rail’s proposed changes, stating that "when Scarborough fights, Scarborough wins!"