Railways: Canada’s next great nation-building project

Rail must move to the centre of national strategy if Canada wants to address climate change, unlock the North, diversify beyond U.S. markets, and create durable jobs.
Chrystia Freeland
Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland. If we don’t reimagine our railways now, others will decide the terms of our future, writes Laurence Nguyen.The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Opinion
BY LAURENCE NGUYEN
September 3, 2025

Canada once staked its nationhood on railways. Today, our future may once more depend on the iron corridor. 

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