Trans Canada Trail and VIA Rail Launch New Partnership

Trans Canada Trail is pleased to announce a new partnership with VIA Rail Canada, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding.

The collaboration brings together two national organizations that share a commitment to environmental responsibility and to connecting people with the places around them. Every day, both VIA Rail and the Trans Canada Trail help Canadians and visitors reach the communities and landscapes that make this country distinct. Throughout Canada’s history, railways and trails have played a meaningful part in bringing people together and opening up access to places they might otherwise never see.

“For generations, rail travel and trails have helped people explore and appreciate this country,” says Trans Canada Trail CEO Mathieu Roy. “This partnership gives us a way to encourage more Canadians and visitors to discover destinations across the country with a lighter footprint. I’m grateful to VIA Rail for their continued support of the Trail.”

“At VIA Rail, a lot of our work comes down to a practical question: what does lower carbon travel actually look like, and where can it take people once they arrive,” says Fanny Eliaers, Lead Advisor, Sustainability at VIA Rail. “Partnering with the Trans Canada Trail felt like a natural fit. Trains and trails both reward you for taking the slower, more deliberate route, and both depend on keeping these landscapes accessible and worth protecting. We’re proud to support that work.”

Under the agreement, VIA Rail will provide travel vouchers as an in-kind sponsorship. This support will help the Trans Canada Trail team travel across the country more sustainably and will contribute to prizing for initiatives including the annual Great Canadian Hike (September 1-30, 2026) and the Blahs to Ahhhs campaign.

Trans Canada Trail looks forward to working with VIA Rail to celebrate the journeys that connect us, and to help more people experience the natural link between rail and trail.