All GO and UP trains are currently impacted by a CN rail outage, the transit agency says. (Tara Walton/The Canadian Press)
GO Transit train service has begun to resume after being halted Tuesday due to a network-wide system failure, but riders should continue to expect delays, Metrolinx says.
The provincial transit agency says the problem was tied to a network-wide Canadian National Railway (CN) system failure affecting all rail corridors.
“As we work with our rail partner to resume regular rail service tonight, we have modified the schedule and are running trains approximately every half hour. Further delays and modifications are expected,” GO Transit said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
For outbound trains from Union Station on Tuesday night, Metrolinx pointed people to GO Transit’s website. For customers travelling into Union Station, service will be less frequent but should be between 30 to 60 minutes.
Earlier, Metrolinx said: “Trains are very busy, so please consider travel alternatives or travelling later this evening if possible.”
Metrolinx agents field questions from people at Union Station Tuesday after a CN network outage left GO Trains unable to operate. (Patrick Morrell/CBC)
UP Express also said its train service has been “modified” because of the CN system failure. It said it would provide updates once it returns to regular service.
“UP Express trains are running every 30 minutes. We thank you for your patience,” the service said on X.
CN apologizes, will review incident
CN’s website also appeared to be offline for a period Tuesday afternoon, but was running again by 4 p.m. In a statement late Tuesday, CN said its internet connectivity has been restored.
“CN would like to apologize for the impact caused by this outage. While there continues to be no indication of a cyber security issue, the cause of the outage remains under investigation,” the company said.
“During the outage, CN worked with GO to temporarily take over their train dispatching responsibilities,” the company said in the statement.
“This allowed for the partial resumption of GO and VIA services. GO Transit has now resumed dispatching their lines and they are working to resume their normal movements. CN will be working with GO to review the incident and put in place processes to avoid further disruptions.”
CN said its customer service portal is working and its own trains did not experience any delays. No data was affected, it said.
Earlier, CN said GO trains, Via trains in and out of Union station, both of which require an internet connection to CN’s services, were affected. EXO trains out of Montreal and Amtrak Trains were not affected.
Via Rail said in its own post on X that trains entering or leaving Union Station will experience delays, and asked passengers to visit its website for updates on their trips.
Passenger’s trip took 3 hours longer than expected
Aarij Anwer, a Muslim chaplain at Western University, said he and a friend got stuck twice while taking a Via train from London to Toronto on Tuesday — once in Oakville and then again in the Humber Bay Park East area in Toronto’s west end.
The train left London at about 10:50 a.m. and was meant to arrive at Union station at 1:10 p.m. By the time it arrived, it was 4:20 p.m. — taking more than three hours longer than scheduled, he said.
As a result of the delays, the two missed meetings with Ontario MPPs and Premier Doug Ford.
“There are worse places to be stuck five hours. But we’d also rather get to our destination and go about our day,” Anwer said in an interview on the train.
Aarij Anwer, a Muslim chaplain at Western University, says his Via Rail trip from London to Toronto took much longer than expected on Tuesday. (CBC)
Via Rail provided customers with water and snacks and issued generic announcements about the delays, he said. The train was also not at capacity, which meant it was comfortable but still frustrating, he added.
“I guess it could have been worse but also not what we expected,” he said.
Anwer said he hoped he and his friend could still make an evening dinner and mixer in Toronto.
Shutdown led to surge pricing on ride-hailing apps
The railway shutdown also appeared to lead to surge pricing on ride-hailing apps like Uber Tuesday afternoon, as demand for alternate routes grew.
The TTC said it was working to add extra subway service on Lines 1 and 2 to help with the afternoon rush.
“We expect heavier-than-normal passenger loads and would advise customers to plan ahead in the event this issue persists,” it said in a statement.
Pearson airport issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, saying it is “closely monitoring” the situation.
“There is currently no impact to our operations, but passengers may need to find an alternative way to get to the airport,” the statement reads.
Yogesh Dahiya, a student, said the shutdown disrupted his schedule. Speaking to CBC News Tuesday afternoon, he said he had been waiting for an hour and half for a train at Bloor GO station and planned to wait another 15 minutes before taking an alternate route on the TTC.
“Being a student, I have to do a lot of work at home,” he said. “It’s all about time.”
Dahiya said he works a part-time job and that managing his time between school, work and home is essential.
Transportation systems should be well prepared for delays and ensure customers have the information they need to plan different ways home.
TORONTO – Canada Goose Holdings Inc. says it has signed a deal that will result in the creation of its first eyewear collection.
The deal announced on Thursday by the Toronto-based luxury apparel company comes in the form of an exclusive, long-term global licensing agreement with Marchon Eyewear Inc.
The terms and value of the agreement were not disclosed, but Marchon produces eyewear for brands including Lacoste, Nike, Calvin Klein, Ferragamo, Longchamp and Zeiss.
Marchon plans to roll out both sunglasses and optical wear under the Canada Goose name next spring, starting in North America.
Canada Goose says the eyewear will be sold through optical retailers, department stores, Canada Goose shops and its website.
Canada Goose CEO Dani Reiss told The Canadian Press in August that he envisioned his company eventually expanding into eyewear and luggage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Almost seven years since news broke of an alleged conspiracy to fix the price of packaged bread across Canada, the saga isn’t over: the Competition Bureau continues to investigate the companies that may have been involved, and two class-action lawsuits continue to work their way through the courts.
Here’s a timeline of key events in the bread price-fixing case.
Oct. 31, 2017: The Competition Bureau says it’s investigating allegations of bread price-fixing and that it was granted search warrants in the case. Several grocers confirm they are co-operating in the probe.
Dec. 19, 2017: Loblaw and George Weston say they participated in an “industry-wide price-fixing arrangement” to raise the price of packaged bread. The companies say they have been co-operating in the Competition Bureau’s investigation since March 2015, when they self-reported to the bureau upon discovering anti-competitive behaviour, and are receiving immunity from prosecution. They announce they are offering $25 gift cards to customers amid the ongoing investigation into alleged bread price-fixing.
Jan. 31, 2018: In court documents, the Competition Bureau says at least $1.50 was added to the price of a loaf of bread between about 2001 and 2016.
Dec. 20, 2019: A class-action lawsuit in a Quebec court against multiple grocers and food companies is certified against a number of companies allegedly involved in bread price-fixing, including Loblaw, George Weston, Metro, Sobeys, Walmart Canada, Canada Bread and Giant Tiger (which have all denied involvement, except for Loblaw and George Weston, which later settled with the plaintiffs).
Dec. 31, 2021: A class-action lawsuit in an Ontario court covering all Canadian residents except those in Quebec who bought packaged bread from a company named in the suit is certified against roughly the same group of companies.
June 21, 2023: Bakery giant Canada Bread Co. is fined $50 million after pleading guilty to four counts of price-fixing under the Competition Act as part of the Competition Bureau’s ongoing investigation.
Oct. 25 2023: Canada Bread files a statement of defence in the Ontario class action denying participating in the alleged conspiracy and saying any anti-competitive behaviour it participated in was at the direction and to the benefit of its then-majority owner Maple Leaf Foods, which is not a defendant in the case (neither is its current owner Grupo Bimbo). Maple Leaf calls Canada Bread’s accusations “baseless.”
Dec. 20, 2023: Metro files new documents in the Ontario class action accusing Loblaw and its parent company George Weston of conspiring to implicate it in the alleged scheme, denying involvement. Sobeys has made a similar claim. The two companies deny the allegations.
July 25, 2024: Loblaw and George Weston say they agreed to pay a combined $500 million to settle both the Ontario and Quebec class-action lawsuits. Loblaw’s share of the settlement includes a $96-million credit for the gift cards it gave out years earlier.
Sept. 12, 2024: Canada Bread files new documents in Ontario court as part of the class action, claiming Maple Leaf used it as a “shield” to avoid liability in the alleged scheme. Maple Leaf was a majority shareholder of Canada Bread until 2014, and the company claims it’s liable for any price-fixing activity. Maple Leaf refutes the claims.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:L, TSX:MFI, TSX:MRU, TSX:EMP.A, TSX:WN)
TORONTO – TD Bank Group, which is mired in a money laundering scandal in the U.S., says chief executive Bharat Masrani will retire next year.
Masrani, who will retire officially on April 10, 2025, says the bank’s, “anti-money laundering challenges,” took place on his watch and he takes full responsibility.
The bank named Raymond Chun, TD’s group head, Canadian personal banking, as his successor.
As part of a transition plan, Chun will become chief operating officer on Nov. 1 before taking over the top job when Masrani steps down at the bank’s annual meeting next year.
TD also announced that Riaz Ahmed, group head, wholesale banking and president and CEO of TD Securities, will retire at the end of January 2025.
TD has taken billions in charges related to ongoing U.S. investigations into the failure of its anti-money laundering program.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
