VIA Rail cancels morning trips due to protest

Via Rail says all departures prior to 2:00 p.m. today between Montreal and Toronto, Toronto and Ottawa, and Toronto and Kingston are cancelled due to protesters on the tracks in Belleville.

This is in response to the on-going nation-wide protests being held following the call for action of the Wet’suet’en first nation from British Columbia. The Wet’suet’en have been opposing the Coastal GasLink pipeline since it was originally announced in December of 2018. Hereditary chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en nation say that they are separate from Canada and that Coastal GasLink is invading their territory. This has caused over a year of violence and protest between those of Wet’suet’en and the RCMP.

Protests on the previously mentioned Via Rail lines started last week causing the company to cancel many trips. Via Rail says they will issue daily notifications at 8:00 a.m. for afternoon trains leaving after 2:00 p.m. and at 6:00 p.m. Reservations can be cancelled for a full refund with no service charges up to two days prior to the departure date.