3173 replies to this topic

[splashflash]

Final nail in the coffin, thank God. If the Snaw-naw-as want alternative transportation on their reserve in the former rail ROW, they will probably find out in the Bunt Engineering Study. The BC Transit 91 bus has had increased frequencies, but the bus stop is on the busy highway, just on a pulloff from the shoulder. A pedestrian bridge goes above the highway near Capilano Road that gives access to the reserve. It would be more convenient for Snaw-naw-as FN bus users to use an on-reserve service than the current bus, but may still not want it there.

[Victoria Watcher]

Songhees Nation launches legal action to have E&N right-of-way cleaned up

 

 

The lawsuit calls on the court to declare that the right-of-way for rail service through Songhees lands has expired and the property has reverted to reserve land

 

 

https://www.timescol...aned-up-9853380

 

 

 

 

Snaw-naw-as elected Chief Brent Edwards has said that the the right of-way was left in a contaminated and dilapidated state. The nation hired a contractor that has been working to clean it up.

 

The Attorney General and the Corridor Foundation have not yet filed responses to either lawsuit.

 

Thomas Bevan, chief executive of the Island Corridor Foundation, said he can’t talk about the suits but “we’re working now with legal counsel on decisions for next steps and evaluating the situation.”

 

Last year, the province announced $18 million for island Corridor Foundation members to start looking at the future of the corridor.

 

Bevan said the foundation is working with its members to see “if this corridor can continue to serve a collective interest. Or if that’s not possible, then what is the alternative path.”

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 November 2024 - 05:02 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

The lawsuit, filed Nov. 8 in the Supreme Court of B.C. in Victoria, calls on the court to declare that the right-of-way for rail service through Songhees lands has expired and the property has reverted to reserve land “held by Canada for the use and benefit of the Songhees Nation.”

 

E&N passenger rail service stopped in 2011 due to the poor condition of the rails, with all service ending in 2014, the claim says.

 

Once the E&N right-of-way was no longer being used for rail in 2014, the Crown should have immediately carried out an environment cleanup, the nation’s 22-page claim says.

 

 

22 pages, but no dollar figure?

 

I wish the article would elaborate.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 November 2024 - 05:17 AM.

[splashflash]

22 pages, but no dollar figure?

I wish the article would elaborate.

I don't think there is a dollar figure as the remediation assessment still needs to be completed. The Snaw-naw-as FN court case doesn't have a dollar figure, just statements that remediation would need to be done such that it would be in its original state in 1912.

There was some work done previously on a nearby siding line in 2006. https://www.iaac-aei...g.cfm?pid=20559

The encouraging thing about rail lines is that there is usually less contamination than at sidings where material transfer takes place.

lines

Edited by splashflash, 24 November 2024 - 11:35 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Local governments given another year to use $18M for Island rail corridor planning

 

The province is giving another year for Vancouver Island communities to take advantage of provincial money to plan what they want to do with the Island’s railway corridor.

 

 

https://www.timescol...anning-10064780

 

 

 

Last year, about 10 acres of the corridor was returned to the Snaw-Naw-As (Nanoose) First Nation, whose reserve lands had been bisected by the railway for more than a century.

 

The track on those lands have been removed by the nation. The nation has launched legal action against the Island Corridor Foundation and the federal government to force a clean-up or to compensate the nation for its ongoing work.

 

Judith Sayers, president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council which represents 14 First Nations, remains a strong proponent of reviving Island rail.

 

But in 2023, most of the First Nation members sitting on the board of the Island Corridor Foundation quit after a motion calling on the organization to oppose reviving rail service failed.

 

The Ministry of Transportation said in a statement Saturday that no decision has been made about the corridor’s future.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 12 January 2025 - 11:57 PM.

[Matt R.]

It sounds like someone has a made decision about the corridors future.

How do I get in on this gravy train?

[splashflash]

"It sounds like someone has a made decision about the corridors future."

It doesn't sound to me that they have made a decision at all.

[Matt R.]

The Nanoose nation begs to differ from what I read up above.

[splashflash]

Yes, the Nanoose, Songhees, and likely Halalt and Esquimalt have/will have court cases in progress which could be settled out of court if the process were sped up. The study process was supposed to have already been wrapped up, but then the deadline extended to end of March and now end of year. Maybe more court cases will occur. The province doesn't want to say no to Judith Sayers about rail and move on though.

[Matt R.]

Track has already been removed, no?

[splashflash]

Rails and ties removed through Snaw-naw-as reservation

Attached Images

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Edited by splashflash, 13 January 2025 - 07:40 PM.

[Matt R.]

Right, so a decision has been made. Is there any coming back from this or are we just wasting another 20mil or whatever?

[splashflash]

Somehow there is supposed to be a consensus on what is to happen to the corridor.

[Matt R.]

I guess if they get enough speed they can jump that ripped up portion that’s soon to be remediated.