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The Caisse did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the two years since he was appointed CEO of the Crown corporation, Desjardins-Siciliano has been a vocal advocate of dedicated tracks on the busy Quebec City-Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto corridor, which would allow for more frequent and faster train service.

Currently, Via operates on rail lines owned by Canadian National Railway Co., which often results in delays as slower, heavier freight trains take priority over lighter, faster passenger trains.

In 2015, Via’s trains were on time 71 per cent of the time, a significant deterioration from 85 per cent in 2011.

Desjardins-Siciliano doesn’t blame CN for this, but says it’s simply the reality of “running incompatible services on shared infrastructure.”

The choice is stark, according to Via. In its five-year corporate plan, tabled in the House of Commons last week, the railway said it “can no longer function within its existing framework.” A combination of aging trains and shared infrastructure is hurting service, which will result in reduced ridership and greater operating deficits.

“Left unchanged, Via Rail will become more costly and less relevant to Canadians,” the report says. “Ultimately, it will be unable to fulfill its mandate.”

Left unchanged, Via Rail will become more costly and less relevant to Canadians.

As a solution, Desjardins-Siciliano has been pitching a public-private partnership that would see the federal government team up with a major pension fund to build a dedicated track and replace Via’s aging fleet, ideally with electric trains.