Sudbury Ontario - A Green Party government would help cities like Sudbury move their rail yards from their downtowns, Nickel Belt Green candidate Stuart McCall suggests.
 
"A lot of Canada's rail infrastructure is located in the heart of our urban areas," Stuart McCall said in a release.
 
"These rail lands are occupying valuable, fully serviced real estate, ripe for downtown revitalization. They're also leaving municipal leaders wondering how they might deal with rail disasters like what happened in Lake Megantic. I'm personally concerned about how derailments near our lakes and rivers involving hazardous materials might impact our drinking water. We know about the risks and opportunities. It's time to take action."
 
Moving the tracks from Sudbury's downtown has long been a goal of city and business officials in Sudbury, but little has been done because of the hundreds of millions it would cost.
 
The Green Party, however, said it is committed to providing money to help municipalities relocate rail yards and tracks away from populated urban areas and important drinking water sources.
 
Moving tracks and rail yards for freight out of urban areas will benefit Canada's rail companies by making their operations more efficient, the party said.
 
Municipalities will benefit from a greater level of security, and through the availability of new lands in urban cores for redevelopment.
 
"Canada has to get serious about building the sort of transportation systems that we're going to need to move people and goods in a low carbon environment," McCall said.
 
"Investing in safe, efficient, rail systems will benefit individuals and businesses, and help in the fight against climate change. If Stephen Harper's Conservatives had any vision about our needs for the 21st century, they would have started making these investments long ago."
 
McCall said the Green Party is committed to developing a National Transportation Strategy, adding he would be a champion for modern transportation system that prioritizes safe, inexpensive, rail transport for people and cargo.
 
"I've always been a strong advocate for better rail service, and as an MP, I will champion making smart investments to make our rail systems safer and more efficient. Investing in rail is good for the economy, and good for the climate."
 
The Green Party will strengthen Canada's rail safety rules by giving regulators the tools they need to protect communities from derailments like those that occurred near Gogama this past winter.
 
The party also said it will re-invest in VIA Rail, starting with $600 million in 2016-17, and building to $764 million by 2020.
 
A healthy, modern, and efficient VIA Rail will form the basis for more frequent intercity passenger rail service, which allows Canadians of all ages and abilities to connect more easily with one another.
 
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