We'll tell you when we tell you, say feds on railroad

August 15 means another annual deadline looming to save the Huron Central Railway.

The City of Sault Ste. Marie, Essar Steel and Domtar are waiting for Ottawa to ante up their share of infrastructure funding for the northeastern Ontario short-ine railroad.

The federal government has yet to sign off on the Provincial-Territorial Base Fund Agreement to release a one-time $30-million grant to repair and upgrade the track bed and bridges on the 305-kilometre long line.

Provincial Energy and Infrastructure Minister Brad Duguid has signed his part of the agreement for $15 million, but John Baird, the federal Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, has yet to do the same.

A Ministry spokesman gave little indication when that will happen.

In an e-mail, James Kusie, Director of Issues Management and Parliamentary Affairs, said, “all I can say at this point is when we have something to announce, we will.”

Last year, at the urging of politicians and industry, the railroad agreed to a one-year temporary agreement to continue freight operations between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury to prevent a permanent shutdown of rail service.

In a July 12 letter to Baird, City of Sault Ste. Marie CEO Joe Fratesi asked the minister to make good on their commitment and “personally intervene in this matter to ensure the ultimate success of this project.”