Correspondence from Island Rail Corporation Re: Rebuilding Contemporary Rail For the Next 7 Generations

Re: Rebuilding Contemporary Rail For the Next 7 Generations

On behalf of Island Rail Corporation (IRC) thank you for taking the time to meet with myself, Alex Stuart, and Bill Williams to discuss the importance of re-building contemporary rail for the next seven generations.

Our congratulations to View Royal in leading the charge in exploring a pilot program with Coventry's 'very light' railway. This and other options such as the Altom rail being piloted in Quebec with Reseau Charlevoix demonstrates the importance in moving these innovative technologies with Vancouver Island in mind.

With NRC and others National institutions becoming involved it is only a matter of time. https://nrc.canada.ca/en/stories/towards-net-zero-emission-railway-system-hydrogen-powered-trains

Vancouver Island, and specifically those that oversee the appointments to the Island Corridor Foundation (ICF) Board of Directors, need to re-visit its Mission Statement & Purpose. The rail corridor resides on the unceded territory of fourteen Indigenous Communities. With the decision of the Federal Government to cede back to the Snaw-naw-as First Nation, lands on which rail has existed these past 137 yrs., it has set the precedent that is long overdue. More importantly, it has set the stage for Municipal & Regional Government Leadership to publicly support a process in which they step away from the ICF with the goal of transferring the rail corridor management over to an Indigenous Governance body. This will lead the way in having senior governments positioned to establish a Legacy for all fourteen Indigenous Communities on whose lands rail has operated for generations without their support. A process, in our view, that must conclude with compensation for the lost opportunities imposed on the Indigenous Communities and one that needs to include the corridor protected for contemporary rail as one of many opportunities the corridor has to offer.

IRC holds the view that the rebuilding contemporary rail for the next seven generations must be accomplished with Indigenous community leadership, support, and participation. Reconciliation must include the needs of all Islanders for today and into the future.

Mayor Tobias, it is with the foregoing in mind that we seek your community support in hosting a joint meeting of all Mayors within the CRD to provide Island Rail Corporation with the opportunity of presenting its Vision for Contemporary Rail which can accommodate the movement of cargo, passenger, and tourism traffic. Our goal is inclusive in having all Indigenous Communities as Stakeholders, one that can bring about Reconciliation that is inclusive of all peoples.

Respectfully Yours,

Dave Hayden, President

Cc.

• Mayor Doug Kobayashi, Mayor of Colwood
• Mayor Leonard Krog, Mayor of Nanaimo
• Mayor Doug O'Brien, Mayor of Parksville