Informed by a newly minted ridership study completed in March 2026, the Island Corridor Foundation has issued the RFP for the Rail Corridor Initiative Phase 1 Technical Feasibility Study, taking the next step toward determining how the railway can once again serve Island communities.
This study will provide the engineering, operational, and cost analysis needed to move the conversation from "if" to "how." After years of discussion, we're seeing real progress toward understanding the full potential of the Island Rail Corridor and preserving this irreplaceable transportation asset for future generations.
More information about the technical feasibility study
We are having some very positive movement in the CRD with the Reconciliation Corridor Initiative and the Technical Feasibility Study, something that has never been done before. Make no mistake that it’s happening because of the pressure we put on our politicians to stay engaged. I have no doubt that engagement has led to the First Nations seeing a way forward. Let’s keep the numbers growing so the politicians don’t ever feel they can be complacent!
The Comox Valley Island Rail Corridor project page has been updated!
"𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝑽𝑹𝑫, 𝑲’ó𝒎𝒐𝒌𝒔 𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝒔𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒓 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑨 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒑 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆, 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔."
As you might know, the CVRD and ACRD have already completed work last year. To date, the RDN doesn't appear to have undertaken this work or they have no public facing information published at this time. That’s a little concerning, but they all seem to be undertaking work at different times with slightly different intentions, so we’ll have to see where this goes. If we don’t see anything by election time, we’ll let you know!
Canada Day is coming and Director Chris Read and I plan to be at the Courtenay Canada event at Lewis Park from 11 a.m. to 3:30 pm!
For the first time ever, we’ll be trying out the new point of sale (POS) system and giving out bumper stickers for donations of $10 or more. If those bumper stickers are received well, we’re going to order a bunch to lower the cost and open our Bumper Sticker Depot. We’ll finally be able to get swag out the door and onto car bumpers!
Click here to see what events we'll be at this year
All Aboard!
Warren Skaalrud,
Founder and President,
Restore Island Rail Society
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