Vialogue // Fall 2017

VIALOGUE 

Nº 4 

FALL 2017 

VOLUME 39 

PUBLISHED FOUR TIMES A YEAR BY VIA RAIL’S COMMUNICATIONS 

TEAM FOR EMPLOYEES, RETIREES AND THEIR FAMILIES

VIALOGUE FALL 2017 | VOLUME 39 | ISSUE NO. 4 

02 

EXECUTIVE MESSAGE 

GROWTH, ENGAGEMENT, AND A RECOVERY 

OPERATION. WHAT’S THE CONNECTION BETWEEN 

THESE THREE THINGS? IT’S PEOPLE. IT’S US. 

GROWTH 

VIA Rail continues its steady growth 

and our third quarter speaks for itself: 

passenger revenues increased by 

nearly 15% and ridership by nearly 12%, 

compared to the same quarter in 2016. 

Among other things, these figures can 

be explained by the month of July, 

during which our Canada 150 youth 

pass holders were travelling. However, 

August 2017 was a record month for 

VIA Rail with nearly $38 million in 

revenue, and Labour Day weekend 

also contributed to the success of the 

quarter, with its revenue increase of 

14.7% compared to the previous year. 

Ultimately, there were many great 

reasons for Canadians and visitors to 

travel with us this summer, but it wasn’t 

a given that they would opt for the train. 

So what made the difference? We did, 

because we put our customers first in 

spite of everything: aging equipment, 

congested tracks, delays that made 

headlines and strong headwinds 

that our trains had to work against. 

VIA Rail stands out across a diverse 

customer base interested in our social 

and environmental principles. We are 

increasingly well-positioned in the eyes 

of travellers because of the work we 

do on a daily basis, and the fact that 

we do it with the customer in mind. 

There is no doubt about it. 

ENGAGEMENT 

Does success lead to engagement, or 

is the opposite true? Even in this area, 

we are once again surpassing records: 

at 78%, our overall participation in the 

Engagement Survey exceeded our 

goal. Let's take a look at some other 

impressive numbers: 

›› 

62% - our total engagement rate 

• up 5% from 2016 and 16% 

from 2014. Believe me, these 

numbers are phenomenal given 

the challenges faced by our 

teams and the organization as 

a whole; 

• 6% above the average results 

of other Crown corporations; 

• 3% below the Canadian 

average... but we are getting 

closer! 

But let it be known that response rate 

and the actual responses are not the 

same thing. Strong participation is a 

powerful incentive to find solutions 

in areas where a need has been 

expressed. Several areas have shown 

increased approval, but there is still 

work to be done. At the Executive 

Committee, we do not take positive 

results or employee engagement for 

granted. Certain issues are brought 

to our attention through the survey 

or by other means. We hear you, and 

the communication and intervention 

process has begun within our teams. 

As always, you will be invited to 

participate in developing action plans, 

and your involvement in the process 

is crucial. We want to maintain the 

momentum and engagement in our 

major projects— together. 

AND RECOVERY? 

Read about a recent spectacular display 

of engagement and collaboration on 

pages 4 and 5! Colleagues from across 

the country converged in Churchill for 

an exceptional technical procedure 

to recover a train that had been 

stranded due to the severe spring 

flooding. Since we will be starting 

major renovations to our fleet soon, 

we could not leave this very important 

train console stranded. It will continue 

serving northern communities as soon 

as the infrastructure is back in place. 

Happy reading and happy holidays! 

Yves DS


03 

VIA BY THE NUMBERS 

TONS OF 

PROJECTS! 

ONGOING 

PROJECTS: 

163 

CAPITAL PROJECTS PORTFOLIO 

DATA AS OF SEPTEMBER 30 

INFRASTRUCTURE: 29 

ROLLING STOCK: 53 

REAL ESTATE: 81 

LINKS & VIDEOS 

Want to help spread the word about VIA Rail 

and its various projects? Follow us on social 

media and share what we publish with your 

network! 

VIA Rail is on Facebook, YouTube, 

LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter: 

@VIA_Rail and @VIARailPrez


04 

ALONG THE WAY 

RECOVERY OPERATION AT THE 

58 th PARALLEL NORTH 

MICHAEL WOELCKE, GENERAL MANAGER, 

REGIONAL SERVICES 

1 

In the wee hours of the morning on 

October 17, we hustled in response to 

a real commotion: we had to save ... a 

train! As you can imagine, this is no easy 

feat. Most people will remember the 

serious flooding in May that forced the 

rail service between Gillam and Churchill 

to stop indefinitely. That month, a VIA 

Rail trainset — two locomotives and five 

passenger cars — ended up stranded 

in Churchill. 

2 

What to do? 

Doing nothing and leaving behind our old (but valuable) 

equipment was not an option. The decision-making 

process was accelerated by several factors: it was not 

known when service would resume, rust had already 

started forming on the exposed metal, and winter 

was on its way. It quickly became clear that leaving 

the train outside and exposed to the elements would 

mean astronomical repair costs, assuming it wasn’t 

too far gone to repair. Therefore a decision was made 

to get it out of Churchill. 

It should be reiterated that apart from the impassable 

rail line, there is no overland route between Gillam and 

Churchill. So, we considered transporting our seven 

pieces of equipment— weighing close to 1.1 million 

pounds— by air to Winnipeg, which would be doable, 

but extremely expensive and complicated. Ultimately 

we figured out a plan for the train: it would be shipped 

by sea to the Montréal Maintenance Centre where it 

would receive proper care.


05 

Great challenges call for great solutions 

Since June, Paul Sullivan, Manager, 

Transportation and his team, along with 

other VIA Rail employees who graciously 

offered their assistance and expertise, 

worked together with the sea transport 

company and the Port of Churchill 

owners to carry out this highly unusual 

undertaking. Many trips were made back 

and forth between Montréal and Churchill 

to inspect rail and shipping equipment, 

take high-precision measurements, 

construct temporary rails connecting 

the train yard to the Churchill wharf, 

and manufacture very specific lifting 

equipment to hoist our locomotives and 

cars onto the cargo ship. 

3 

Hour by hour 

Let's go back to October 17. Early in the 

morning, with winds exceeding 90 km/h 

blowing rain and snow, the teams were 

already busy working on the impressive 

and tricky operation. Supporting Paul 

Sullivan, the rescue team consisted of 

Eric Gilroy, Railway Car Technician – 

WMC, Maxime Labrie, Senior Engineer, 

Reliability and Maintenance – CMM, 

Melanie Rodriguez, Constable – Ottawa 

Station, Patrick Lévesque, Coach, 

Electrician – CMM, Goetz Kremer, 

Technical Trainer – CMM, and Brian 

Ahlgren, Electrician – Winnipeg Station. 

• 8:00 a.m. - The first locomotive 

is put into position 

• 9:30 a.m. - Lifting begins 

• 10:30 a.m. - The locomotive is 

placed on the bottom of the ship 

platform 

And so on until all seven components 

were fully loaded by 9:30 p.m. that same 

day. It took less than 14 hours for them 

to be loaded before they were shipped 

safely on a single freighter to the port 

of Montréal where, on November 13, 

they were once again unloaded using 

various safety precautions and special 

equipment before traveling to the CMM 

by rail. 

The operation was exceptional, as were 

the floods that caused the situation. 

And the engagement and collaboration 

between our 50 colleagues was 

extraordinary. 

A job very well done! 

Photo 1: A long day at the port of 

Montreal that began and ended in 

darkness for the VIA Rail team and 

the boat crew (NEAS). From the left, 

Paul Sullivan, Brian Johnson, Frédéric 

Brisson, Goetz Kremer and Maxime 

Labrie. 

Photo 2: Part of the team on the job, 

October 17: Eric Gilroy, Brian Ahlgren, 

boat captain, Paul Sullivan, Goetz 

Kremer and Patrick Lévesque 

Photo 3: The vehicles had to be 

alligned manually on the rails once 

they we offloaded at the Port of 

Montreal; work that required extreme 

precision.


06 

ALONG THE WAY 

CELEBRATIONS 

AT THE MMC! 

THE NEW MONCTON 

CUSTOMER CENTER 

On October 6, the Montréal Maintenance 

Center celebrated its 30 th anniversary. 

Yves Desjardins-Siciliano took this 

opportunity to announce renovations 

to the cafeteria, office spaces, locker 

rooms and washrooms, as well as 

improvements to interior lighting and 

a parking lot expansion, all of which 

will take place in 2018 and 2019. But 

most importantly, he congratulated and 

thanked employees for their outstanding 

work and vital contributions to VIA Rail’s 

success over the last 30 years, and 

toasted to the success of the next 30! 

The celebrations continued on November 

14, this time to mark the completion 

of the LRC refurbishment that began 

in 2016. This major achievement was 

celebrated by sharing a cake as grand 

as the celebration, in the shape of a train 

pulling LRC cars. 

Photo: Joe Di Liello, Mario Bergeron, Francis 

Jodoin, Al Doucet, Yves Desjardins-Siciliano 

and Sébastien Langlais. 

Following the revamping of the VIA 

Customer Center (VCC) in Montréal 

this spring, it was the Moncton VCC’s 

turn. The major renovation took place 

over the past three months, and its 90 

employees who had been relocated 

recently returned “home”. The 

employees’ new space was unveiled 

on November 16 alongside members of 

the management team. The makeover 

consisted of new lighting, new furniture 

and reorganization of the space. 

DID YOU KNOW...? 

ALEXANDRIA STATION CELEBRATES 100 YEARS 

On September 22, VIA Rail celebrated the 100 th anniversary of the Alexandria 

Heritage Station along with municipal, provincial and federal representatives 

from the township of North Glengarry, and our president Yves Desjardins- 

Siciliano. VIA Rail gifted ten sugar maples, a sturdy and iconic tree, to residents to 

commemorate each decade of the station’s history. More than 15,000 travellers 

pass through this station each year. It was built and inaugurated in 1917, to 

replace the previous station, which had been destroyed by a fire.


09 07 

UNIFORM RECYCLING: INSPIRING 

AND SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIPS 

PILOT PROJECT: 

SHUTTLE BETWEEN 

CAMPBELLTON AND 

GASPÉ 

The annual uniform ordering period is 

about to begin and this coming year, 

employees can bring their used uniforms 

to their regional drop-off points in Halifax, 

Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver and 

(coming soon) Toronto stations, to give 

them a second life. 

VIA Rail has partnered with recognized 

organizations whose mission is to employ 

people who have had difficulties in life, 

with an eco-friendly approach. Donated 

items in good condition are collected or 

sold and the people who work there are 

reintegrated into their local workforce. 

By diverting millions of tons of reusable 

goods from landfills annually, these 

organizations significantly help the 

environment. It's so much more than 

making something old new again. Our 

partners are Renaissance (Montréal), 

Goodwill Industries Dartmouth (Halifax), 

Goodwill London and Wasteco (Toronto) 

and Trans Continental Textile (Vancouver). 

Photo: Official launch of the recycling 

program at the Montréal Central Station. 

From left to right: Hinda Duale, 

Manager, Customer Experience, Lori 

Hokan, Officer, Product and Services 

Planning, Monica Hrapkowicz, Station 

Manager, Matthew Coffen, Officer, 

Product and Service Planning and 

Marc Beaulieu, Chief Transportation 

and Safety Officer. 

From December 20 to January 4, 2018, 

a new shuttle service will be offered 

between the VIA Rail train station in 

Campbellton, NB and Gaspé, QC. 

This service developed by RÉGIM, 

the local public transit organization, 

will allow passengers riding the 

Ocean (between Montréal - Halifax), 

to transfer between 12 cities located 

on the southern coast of the Gaspé 

Peninsula. 

This 16-day pilot project seeks to 

meet the needs expressed by citizens 

of this lovely part of the country who 

would like more transportation options 

during the holiday season. 

If the initiative is received positively, 

this service could potentially be offered 

again during times of high-demand, 

until train service can be restored in 

the area once the tracks are repaired.


08 

PUTTING THE CUSTOMER FIRST 

CANADA 

DOES WINTER 

WELL 

WHILE AWAY 

THE HOURS 

Discovering the country by train is not 

limited to the summer months or to 

big cities. There is plenty to see and 

do any time of year both near and far 

from the urban centres. The Marketing 

Communications team responsible for 

Adventure trains will soon be touting 

the benefits of destinations that host 

winter activities that are well worth the 

trip. The idea is to get there by train, 

of course! 

• In Prince George, on the Jasper – 

Prince Rupert route, VIA Rail will 

be at the popular Coldsnap – 

Prince George Winter Music 

Festival from January 26 to 

February 3, 2018, boosting 

tourism within Prince George 

and its surrounding communities. 

• On February 15, 16 and 17, 2018, the 

5th Traversée du Lac St-Jean on fat 

Photo credit: Traversée du Lac Saint-Jean à vélo 

bike (bike with oversized tires) will 

take place, on 32 kilometers of track 

built right on the frozen lake! VIA Rail 

will have its "Central Station" halfway 

through the course, in the middle of 

the lake. We will also be adding a 

Skyline car to the Montréal – Jonquière 

route for the return trip by train, 

to enhance customer experience. 

• Hold on to your tuque! Mid-way 

between Montréal and Senneterre, 

La Tuque offers fantastic winter 

adventures in the heart of the city and 

the surrounding region. Look out 

for a dual family contest – customer 

and employee – coming up during 

the spring break. 

The longer travel times of our Adventure 

trains can be a time for reflection, 

relaxation or a time to connect with the 

kids. In our ongoing effort to enhance the 

travel experience, we have introduced 

items to entertain all ages on two of 

these routes: Montréal – Jonquière 

and Montréal – Senneterre. Colouring 

sets, UNO card games, VIA-branded 

card games, travel guides, magazines 

(including Québec Science, Vélo Mag 

and other outdoor magazines) and 

a Ulysse travel guide about Québec 

are now available onboard. Feedback 

from onboard employees will help us 

determine how interested travellers are 

in these items, so that we can fine-tune 

the offering and potentially extend it to 

other regional routes. 

MORE HOLIDAY 

DEPARTURES FOR 

THE OCEAN 

Once again this year, VIA Rail added six 

departures to the Ocean train schedule 

for the holiday season, increasing the 

total capacity by 64%. The schedule runs 

from December 15, 2017, to January 7, 

2018, and includes a total of 28 trains, 

which will encourage more people to 

avoid the traffic and stress of winter 

driving, and enjoy a relaxing ride from 

the moment they get on board.


09 

SOUVENIR PROGRAM: 

NEW COLLECTION 

IT'S BETTER 

ON BOARD 

Since the end of November, passengers will find a 

new “It’s Better On Board” laminated pamphlet in 

Economy and Business classes on Corridor trains. It 

suggests a few ways to enhance their train experience 

with Wi-Fi, onboard movies and TV, a locally sourced 

menu, the VIA Preference Loyalty Program, intermodal 

access, and more useful tips and relevant information 

to ensure they continue choosing to travel by train. In 

addition, the pamphlet reminds passengers that having 

them aboard helps us to fulfill our commitment to the 

environment and sustainable transportation. 

As part of its Souvenirs program, the Product 

and Service Design team recently launched 

a new product line just in time for some 

last-minute holiday shopping! Marked with 

the VIA logo, these promotional items have 

a modern style and a fresh design. They are 

sold onboard select trains and at railway 

stations. They are also available to you, our 

employees and retired employees, at a 10% 

discount. Present your employee or retiree 

card at any of the main stations or aboard a 

long-haul train. You can also create a profile 

on the E-Boutique website if you are an active 

employee. 

The E-Boutique is always open. Happy 

shopping! 

VISIT THE ONLINE SHOP


10 

PUTTING THE CUSTOMER FIRST 

@GTTAVISIONS 

Took the @VIA_Rail 

train from Montreal to 

Ottawa to get to the 

@folkawards. 

Perfect way to travel 

with a newborn! 

@SHELBIREBECCA 

BONNIE 

I wanted to write in and commend VIA for 

outstanding service today from its front line 

employees in Toronto. I received fantastic 

service at the baggage storage several 

times today, and incredible support from 

one of the employees who helped me 

board the train with my luggage since I had 

hurt my back earlier in the day. (…) I take 

the train often and notice the continuous 

improvement in service, prices, and staff. 

Keep up the good work. 

@IMPULSIVEWANDERING @YOBI_PICTURES 

EMMA B. 

@GRANNYMEGZ 

Arrived in Halifax 

after a 28 hour train 

adventure. Thanks to 

the #VIARail crew for 

getting us to our 

destination safely 

and comfortably. 

I am writing to you as one of the 

fortunate Canada 150 Rail Pass holders. 

This summer, my boyfriend and I took 

off on a grand Canadian adventure, 

starting in Toronto and heading both 

east and west. It was a remarkable 

chance to celebrate and mark our 

country’s 150 th birthday. (…) Much of my 

time on the train was spent reflecting 

on the idea of Canada. In our past and 

present, there are things to both mourn 

and to celebrate; what becomes of the 

future is partly ours to shape. There is 

so much to be gained in having our 

future leaders experience the vast 

diversity that makes up Canada, both 

in terms of our culture and our citizens, 

and our vast landscape. This year will 

be cherished and remembered by all 

those who rode the rails. 

ROLAND A. 

Just completed the Toronto to Edmonton 

leg of the Canadian as part of our bucket 

list Canada 150 trip. Thank you VIA. It 

was an awesome experience and so 

much fun. Great staff all around.


11 

@ VIA RAIL 

EMPLOYEE 

PROFILE 

BENOIT 

LADOUCEUR 

SENIOR ADVISOR, 

RISK MANAGEMENT, 

AT VIA RAIL SINCE 

MARCH 2016 

WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU DO AS VIA RAIL'S 

SENIOR ADVISOR, RISK MANAGEMENT? 

My role is to make sure that VIA Rail applies risk 

management best practices. I analyze three types of 

risk: operational, project and strategic risks. Proper 

risk management allows us to effectively reach our 

goals, thereby improving our service to the public. 

WHAT DOES A DAY AT WORK LOOK LIKE? 

What I like is that it's never the same because the 

risks change from one analysis to the next. But the 

work process does stay the same. The idea is to bring 

the right people together around the table to discuss 

not current, but potential problems. We call this a 

risk management workshop. It involves assessing 

the risks related to health and safety, impact on our 

customers, cost management and so on, that could 

affect whether or not we reach our goals. The idea 

is to bring the risks down to an acceptable level. 

Among other things, I am working on the Heritage 

Fleet refurbishment project to assess the potential 

risks related to its completion, with regard to possible 

suppliers or the arrangement of certain equipment. 

YOU WERE A MEMBER OF THE CANADIAN 

ARMED FORCES. WHAT DID YOU RETAIN 

FROM THAT EXPERIENCE THAT YOU NOW 

USE AT VIA RAIL? 

My time in the Canadian Forces taught me a very 

strong work ethic. The military teaches you to be 

disciplined in every aspect of your life and this 

discipline has been very useful for me. 

As a field engineer, I was required to 

manage risks and ensure the mobility of 

friendly forces during missions abroad 

by assessing opportunities and threats. 

I use the same work process now at 

VIA Rail. Military engineering allowed 

me to learn technical concepts that 

are very useful for my work, but more 

importantly, it taught me that we must 

always try to find solutions so that we 

can meet our objectives. 

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO VIA RAIL? 

VIA Rail is a very dynamic and ambitious 

company; the choice was easy. It was 

also largely the organization’s respect 

for veterans and active reservists that 

convinced me. Quite frankly, I think 

VIA Rail treats us exceptionally since 

it recognizes our potential for the 

organization, both in terms of skills and 

commitment level. 

AN EVENING FOR ENGINEERING! 

On the evening of November 2, a benefit was held for Engineers Without Borders Québec, 

which VIA Rail sponsored. Kathy Baig, a member of VIA Rail's Board of Directors and President 

of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, was the honorary president of the event. Some of 

our colleagues, all trained engineers, were also there. The event raised $93,225 for Engineers 

Without Borders Québec, which the organization will use to fund its international cooperation 

projects in 2018. 

Photo: Kathy Baig with our colleagues Joe Di Liello, Alain Charbonneau, Pascal Castiello, Kar 

On Mark and Eugen Grecu.


12 

@ VIA RAIL 

NEW GRADUATES FROM THE 

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM 

VIA SUPPORTS 

YOUR COMMUNITY 

INVOLVEMENT 

The Mechanics and Maintenance 

Apprenticeship Training Program, which 

was restructured last year, has already 

produced a number of graduates in the 

following trades: railway car technician, 

electrician and diesel engine mechanic. It 

is worth noting that the program provides 

succession training through mentorship 

with experienced employees, ensuring that 

skills are passed down. The apprenticeship 

program is well-established at the MMC 

and is now operating at the maintenance 

centers in Toronto and Vancouver. 

Top photo: From left to right, Rick De Graaf 

(Trainer), Mathieu Daoust, Donald Thivierge 

(Trainer), Louis-Philippe Tremblay, Marco 

Salvatore Fedele, Viorel Comnev, Carl 

Desrosiers, Former Chief Mechanical 

and Maintenance Officer, Goetz Kremer 

(Trainer) and Christophe Mandon. Absent 

from the photo : Marc-André Morisette, 

Justin Melanson, Abdel Fattah El Hilali, 

Noureddine Abbas, Yves Douyon Jr, Érik 

Caillé et Alexandre Farago Caron 

Bottom photo: From left to right, top 

row: Mathieu Boutin, Mathieu Contant, 

Anthony Guerreri, Carl Desrosiers, Steven 

Keedwell, and Francis Lafrance. Bottom 

row: Sébastien Lafrance, Moulay El Mehdi, 

Aboutara Belghiti, Gabriel Deschenes and 

Alexei Guerassimov 

• Are you actively involved in organizing 

a fundraising event for a charity? 

• Does this organization support a 

cause related to physical or mental 

health and is it registered with the 

Canada Revenue Agency? 

• Could the fundraising event involve 

the participation of at least 10 VIA 

Rail employees? 

VIA Rail's Contribution Policy for 

employees’ fundraising activities could 

help you increase participation for your 

event. VIA Rail wants to encourage 

employees who are actively involved in 

these types of activities through material 

contributions and by promoting the 

organizations internally. 

Some causes have already benefited 

from this. Learn about the eligibility and 

selection criteria laid out in our policy. 

An organization that you care about 

could be chosen next.


13 

TWO AWARDS FROM THE 

RAILWAY ASSOCIATION 

OF CANADA (RAC) 

THE INVICTUS GAMES: A 

NATURAL PARTNERSHIP 

AND A MAGNIFICENT EVENT 

The annual Safety Award and the Environment Award were 

presented to VIA Rail’s Transportation and Safety team at a 

formal presentation in Ottawa on October 24. 

VIA Rail was presented the Safety Award for the electronic 

tablet project for locomotive engineers, which helped 

eliminate the risk of a common injury due to the weight of 

the manuals and binders that have been replaced by tablets. 

This provided instant access to the extensive and essential 

documentation and facilitated direct communication. 

VIA Rail received the Environment Award in recognition of 

the fuel economy strategy implemented to identify the best 

fuel conservation methods, maintain or improve passenger 

comfort, improve safety and identify the best practices that 

have an impact on fuel consumption. 

Photo: Yves Desjardins-Siciliano with Hoang Tran, Senior 

Manager, Network Operations, Head of the team that 

won the Safety Award, and Douglas Mackenzie, Manager, 

Transportation, Central Region, and Head of the team 

given the Environment Award. 

In late September, Toronto hosted the 3rd Invictus Games. In line 

with its ongoing support of the military, VIA Rail was a proud partner 

of this significant event. Our trains transported the Games torch 

along with its bearers from Winnipeg to Toronto, and brought the 

members of Team Canada from Ottawa to the games in Toronto. 

As well, on September 27, more than 400 athletes, families and 

friends from 17 different countries left Toronto for a day trip 

to Niagara Falls aboard a special train. At Niagara Station, they 

were welcomed as champions by an impressive guard of honour 

consisting of police, firefighters and dignitaries. This day was a 

wonderful conclusion to the partnership and allowed several VIA 

Rail employees to spend some time with these exceptional athletes. 

Photo: Kenza Taylor, Mary Richardson and Emily Fabius, Station 

Service Agents with Vimy in Toronto


14 

@ VIA RAIL 

2017 REGIONAL 

DISTINCTION AWARDS 

And the nominees are: 

Here are the names of the employees 

nominated by their colleagues in the 

four Distinction Award categories: Five- 

Star Service, Excellence in Maintenance, 

Success Story and Team Spirit. Be sure 

to congratulate them on their nomination! 

Please join us at your regional Distinction 

event in early 2018, where we will 

announce the winners! 

EASTERN CANADA 

Stephanie Milner 

Dean Doucet 

André Hébert 

Ashley Humphrey 

Amanda Law 

Lorna Mitton 

Jean-Marc Arsenault 

Daniel Guitard and Daniel 

Fougère 

Vernon Maillet 

Train 15 crew (October 13) 

Derek Arsenault 

Steve O’Neil 

Jason Arseneau 

Lucille Albert 

Jenna Roy 

Lyne Richard 

Derek Arsenault and 

Perry Cormier 

André Lanteigne 

Michelle Dugas 

Lisa Cormier 

Annette Vautour 

CENTRAL CANADA 

(CORRIDOR & HQ) 

Deano Clavet 

Marie-Claude Laporte 

Lieveke Stevens 

Maryse Dumas 

Jean Letellier 

André Laurent 

Juan Batista 

Marie-Christine Bertrand 

Anna-Maria Armenio 

Étienne Chevrier 

Trianda Barton, 

Norie-Lyn Grier, Cindy 

Laplante and Nancy 

Duchesneau 

Claude Mariano 

Mark Hudson 

Precella Barnes 

Fernand Lacasse, Alain 

Bélanger, Patrice Hade 

and Sébastien Leblanc 

Grégory Querreaux 

Michael Kurtz 

Chantal Paquette 

Patrice Doiron 

Goetz Kremer 

Marie-Claude Grenier 

David Lussier 

Jessica Paquette 

Gilbert Sarazin 

Robert Poulin 

Jennifer Bauer 

Bach Mai Nguyen 

Kenneth Cameron 

Marie-Crystelle Viti 

Mark Glavas 

Joanne Conyers 

Mariam Diaby 

Lyne d’Andrieu 

Jean-Samuel Plante 

Richard Beaudoin 

Helen Beros and Lyne 

d’Andrieu 

Guy Plante 

Simon-Luc Patenaude 

PCI team 

CMS team 

Benoit Ladouceur 

Diana Marinigh 

Matthew Coffen 

Vincent Dufour, 

Patrick Alphonso and 

Pascal Verdieu 

Desmond NG 

Marjolaine Gagné 

Vincenzo Pultrone 

Fouad Koukane 

Stephen Edvi 

Sophie Vaillancourt 

Saverina Nuccio 

Paul Verville 

Richard Haaparanta 

Alan Switzer 

Imane El Asraoui 

Danielle Boisvert 

BTO team 

CENTRAL CANADA 

(SWO) 

Terence Brennan 

Mario Silva 

Lucy Medeiros 

Peng Geng 

Jonathan Paul Vasil 

Sina Piluso 

Chad Jean-François 

David Black 

Giselle McCormick 

Fred Boimistruck 

Alain Fillion 

Michelle Andrée Prévost 

Philip Brunelle 

Roxanne Meloche 

Gerald Mackie 

Andre Funnell 

Charles Stil 

Doug MacKenzie 

Paul McCallum, 

Jordan McCallum and 

Fred Boimistruck 

Katie Villeneuve 

Marc Yenson 

Karim Sayoud 

Eduardo Veloso 

David Albert Delcloo 

Sarah Huckle 

Jonathan Cooke 

Andrew Kiggundu, 

Catherine Douville and 

Jonathan Chan 

Milo Silva 

Nizarali Nathu and 

Maxime Morin 

Sandra Legacy 

Joeanne Comisso 

Laura Manderson 

Andre Funnell and 

Kathy Couto Zheng 

Jacques Fauteux 

Rennie Dykens 

Michael Gertz 

Virginia Zinenko 

Janet De Biasi and Peter 

Kozukso 

WESTERN CANADA 

Yvan St-Germain 

Steve Stanko 

Natalie Obadia 

Anouar Hinaje 

Susan McCarthy 

Joannie Dubé 

Ron Susmelj 

Dave Dickens 

Hamid Darzi 

Lawrence Power 

Paul Sullivan 

Vera Aikens 

Christian Alcera 

Adrienne Douglas 

Tanya Good 

Ryan Garrity 

Chantal Larivière 

Judy Lynch 

Majorie Laberge 

Cynthia Suarez 

Harold Senz 

Sarah Marie Derosa 

Customer experience 

team – Jasper 

Customer experience 

team – Edmonton 

Churchill crew


17 15 

PROJECTS & INNOVATION 

INTRODUCING 

EARPIECES 

ONBOARD 

"HEP HEP" 

HOORAY! 

We all know that 

the customer 

experience 

is essential. 

Although we 

have exceptional 

service onboard, 

there is always 

room for 

improvement. 

For example, the noise on board trains 

has been a source of dissatisfaction — 

more specifically, the noise from the 

employee’s radio communication. The 

good news is that this is a problem we can 

act on. In order to provide a service that 

is always efficient and accommodating, 

VIA Rail has opted to use earpieces for 

onboard employees assigned to the 

Corridor. Providing professional service, 

these discrete, reliable and safe devices 

minimize noise while keeping operational 

communications strictly between 

employees. 

The earpieces were rolled out in Montréal 

and Toronto from November 15 to 

December 7, thanks to Marie Bertrand, 

Maya Ruiz, Stéphane Falardeau, Jonathan 

Chan, Anael Alfaro Manzanilla and David 

Bilodeau who manned the kiosks to 

present and distribute the earpieces to 

their coworkers. 

A job well done! 

Photo: Maya Ruiz, Onboard Service 

Attendant 

In the 2017 federal budget, VIA Rail 

secured funding for major upgrades 

to our Heritage fleet. 

At a glance 

• 99 HEP cars will be renovated by 

2020. 

• The HEPII Economy and Business 

cars will be refurbished by the MMC. 

This is great recognition of the internal 

expertise that we have developed 

while managing these types of 

projects in recent years. The project 

is currently in the engineering stage. 

• Three calls for tender are in 

progress and two more are 

expected by February 2018 for 

the external refurbishment of the 

other models (sleeping cars, dining 

cars, Park and Skyline cars), all in 

order to meet the 2020 deadline. 

These refurbishments are important. 

Ultimately, they will help standardize 

and improve the experience we offer 

to our customers across our entire 

network. 

DID YOU 

KNOW...? 

A GREAT MIGRATION 

The IT team will soon begin 

switching over the tools that you 

know and love — Word, PPT, Excel, 

Outlook and One Note — from the 

Microsoft Office 2010 suite to the 

2013 version. Communication, 

training and support will be on the 

agenda in the coming months. 

This switch is part of the 

optimization wave for work tools 

that Office365 began at the start 

of the year. Users already have 

access to all of the Outlook data 

from any mobile or desktop 

device, as well as a new version of 

Skype for Business.


16 

VIA IN THE COMMUNITY 

FOURTH ANNUAL 

NATIONAL POPPY 

CAMPAIGN 

On November 3, VIA Rail launched 

its fourth National Poppy campaign 

in support of the Royal Canadian 

Legion at Ottawa Station. In honour 

of Remembrance Day, the event 

was an opportunity to pay tribute, 

commemorate and reflect in the 

company of the Legion President and 

several Veterans, including a moving 

performance by the Military Wives 

Choir. This year, our onboard service 

attendants distributed 30,000 poppies 

A BANQUET TO 

HELP END MS 

Toqué! Pour la SP, a major fundraising 

event for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of 

Canada, Québec Division, took place on 

October 4. Under the honorary presidency 

of Yves Desjardins-Siciliano and with a 

crowd of more than 350 people from the 

business community, the fabulous banquet 

was prepared by Grand Chef Relais 

and Châteaux Normand Laprise, and his 

team from Toqué! restaurant provided 

the backdrop for this wonderful evening. 

Marc Beaulieu, Chief Transportation and 

Safety Officer, was there to share a moving 

account on the impact that multiple 

sclerosis has had on his family. A record 

amount of $604,636 was raised and will 

be used to fund research and services 

to patients and their families, and to help 

raise public awareness. 

Photo : From the left, Louis Adam, Executive 

Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of 

Canada, Québec Division, Élyse Marquis, 

TV host and Master of Ceremonies, Yves 

DS, Véronique Rivest, renowned sommelier 

and wine columnist, and Normand Laprise. 

VIA RAIL WORKING 

TOWARD PROGRESSIVE 

ABORIGINAL RELATIONS 

CERTIFICATION 

Our partnership with the Canadian 

Council for Aboriginal Business has 

opened the door to enhanced connections 

with Indigenous communities 

and businesses in Canada. In 

addition, VIA Rail has embarked on 

the Progressive Aboriginal Relations 

(PAR) certification process. More 

than just a designation, it’s a commitment 

that requires a high level 

of collaboration between various 

departments to solidify our approach 

toward enhancing our relationship with 

indigenous communities. Four key 

facts are considered for certification: 

leadership actions, equitable employment 

programs, business development 

with Aboriginal-owned businesses, and 

establishing and maintaining positive 

community relations.


17 

TRAIN STORY 

to the passengers on all of our routes. 

And our Corridor Business class 

cars proudly displayed the poppy, 

symbolizing the bravery of Canadian 

soldiers whose lives were lost in 

combat. On November 11, at 11 a.m., 

our trains sounded their whistles, in 

tribute to those whose tremendous 

sacrifice ensured our freedom and 

our rights. 

A MEANINGFUL ENCOUNTER 

Last February, Zachary Wells, an onboard service 

attendant, had a life-changing encounter. Rebecca 

Schofield, a 17-year-old from New Brunswick living 

with terminal brain cancer, was traveling with VIA Rail as 

part of her wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. 

Zachary was there to spread the word about 

#beccatoldmeto, a movement launched by Rebecca 

encouraging people to share acts of kindness and to 

pay them forward. Inspired by Rebecca's story, Zachary 

partnered with the Sickkids Foundation and participated 

in the Great Cycle Challenge through the month of June. 

On his unicycle, he traveled a total of 225 kilometers 

in one month, raising $1,300 for SickKids Foundation 

cancer research while spreading Rebecca’s message 

about acts of kindness. Now 18 years old, Rebecca is 

still running her kindness campaign and she continues 

to receive supportive testimonials. #beccatoldmeto is 

still going strong. As for Zachary, he will continue his 

one-wheeled riding for years to come to help fight kids’ 

cancer thanks to one trip with VIA Rail that left a lasting impression. 

Photo: Rebecca and Zachary at the end of October, during a visit by the 

Schofield family to Toronto. 

Erratum: In the Train Story on page 17 of the September issue of Vialogue, the 

name should have been Kevin Baksh, not Kevin Bow. Our apologies. 

OUR EXECUTIVES 

OUT ON THE STREETS 

The first edition of Une Nuit Dans 

La Rue (One Night on the Street) 

took place on October 5 in downtown 

Montréal. Business executives 

and young professionals took on the 

challenge of raising funds to support 

Dans La Rue's programs and services 

and spent one night outdoors to raise 

awareness on homelessness. As Cochair 

of the event, Yves Desjardins- 

Siciliano participated with Marc Beaulieu, 

Chief Transportation and Safety 

Officer, and Kathy Baig, a member of 

our Board of Directors. This corporate 

sleep-out in support of homeless youth 

is based on a concept already established 

in several major cities, including 

Toronto and Ottawa. 

Photo: Left to right: Robert Dumas (Sun Life 

Financial), Kathy Baig (Ordre des ingénieurs 

du Québec), Denis Coderre (former mayor 

of Montréal), Christine Babkine (Ivanhoé 

Cambridge) and Yves Desjardins-Siciliano


YOUR IDEAS & 

FEEDBACK ARE 

IMPORTANT! 

WRITE TO US. 

WRITING 

France Pelletier 

Jean-Maxime St-Hilaire 

GRAPHIC DESIGN 

Alexandra Nasim 

CONTACT 

vialogue@viarail.ca 

Do you have a new email address ? 

Do you want to share an article or a photo? 

Please write to vialogue@viarail.ca 

THINK GREEN! 

Please don’t print this document unless it’s 

necessary.

Vialogue // Fall 2017

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