Winnipeg Union Station is getting a facelift through a multi-million-dollar investment from Canada’s national rail passenger service.
VIA Rail announced an investment of over $25 million Thursday to support the renovation of the city’s central train station. Its stated goal is to provide improvements that reflect present-day safety standards.
In a press release on Thursday, the rail service said the investment would be distributed as part of a broader plan to renovate a network of heritage stations. Winnipeg is among the four cities whose stations would be receiving upgrades, including Vancouver, Halifax and Quebec City.
“Our Winnipeg Union Station is a crucial point of our Western operations,” said Francoise Bertrand, chairperson of VIA Rail’s board of directors. “It plays an important role in our ability to deliver our mandate as it is part of the lifeline service to communities in northern Manitoba and gives access to the iconic Canadian that travels between Vancouver and Toronto.”
According to VIA Rail, renovations to the station will be done “within the guidelines of Parks Canada.”
President and chief executive officer Mario Peloquin said the rail service has a responsibility to protect the history of the “iconic stations” and the history of railroading.
“With this announcement, we are ensuring that VIA can continue to maintain these landmark buildings that we improve the customer experience by making these stations more accessible and sustainable for future generations.”