A quiet year-end reflection. Learning closer to delivery. Listening more. Things starting to align. open.substack.com/pub/dbelleri...

Without a doubt my favourite video to work on each year. There is so much going on across Canada, and even more to come!

Going live in 25 minutes! If you want to share your story, you can call from 12 to 1pm at 1-888-817-8995. I am looking forward to hearing them all! You can listen to the program via CBC Radio in Ontario or online on the CBC Toronto website!

RFC on CBC Radio today! 🚆 @dbellerive.ca will be on Ontario Today this Tuesday (Dec 23) from 12–1 PM talking train travel in Canada — the good, the bad, and everything in between. Tune in and call with your train stories!

This might be the FINAL Stage 2 East update before trial running and (hopefully) the opening of the extension in early 2026! Exciting times are coming in Ottawa!

Exciting update this morning, just in time for our yearly recap of progress of rail projects across Canada! 😉

Explore McGill REM Station — the network’s second busiest stop after Gare Centrale. Take a walkthrough with us to see its layout, design features, and what riders can expect as they move through this key hub in downtown #Montreal. 🎥 youtu.be/z23j0sY5tl4

Experience the first day of service on Montréal’s Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) Deux-Montagnes branch through a cinematic look at the REM’s newest trains, stations, and the Mount Royal Tunnel. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MLH...

Shades of red. #Montreal #REM

Shades of blue. #REM #DeuxMontagnes

From some rails fans to others! See you on the REM! @milesintransit.com @railfans.ca @remgrandmtl.bsky.social

We keep buying hundred-million-dollar tunnel boring machines like they’re single-use coffee pods. Canada’s biggest infrastructure problem isn’t technical; it’s continuity. It is time to move beyond projects into programs. open.substack.com/pub/dbelleri...

Did you know that when Mount Dennis GO opens this Sunday. It'll be 3x faster to get to Union Station than it currently takes. The fastest trips today take around 45 minutes, on Sunday it'll take just 13 minutes. This is the power of regional rail.

Today, Lansdowne 2.0 was passed with a 15 - 10 vote at Council. This is going to be an important issue in 2026, and I hope you'll stay engaged with Council in the coming months.

#NotMyLansdowne www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BP0...

Just can't help but laugh at this

Ottawa just voted 15–10 for Lansdowne 2.0, a “revitalization” that saddles taxpayers with decades of debt so OSEG can call it partnership. The city gets the bill, OSEG gets the benefit. A ridiculous decision that will define Ottawa’s future for generations. Shame on council. #OttCity #Lansdowne2

Another exciting milestone for @railfans.ca! We look forward to sharing more content with you over the coming months!

FACT: Amtrak's Cascades colour scheme slaps. A great execution of brand, identity and recalled not just outside, but inside too. Bravo.

Nothing says “meh” like a green PVC roof as “nod to the parliament buildings” Talk about grasping for straws. (Flips desk) @alexbozikovic.bsky.social

it's amazing that approximately 70 kilometres of rail transit will be inaugurated in canada over the next few months (eglinton crosstown + finch west + o-train east + rem deux-montagnes)

Ribbon cuttings make headlines. But delivery doesn’t end there. Hospitals, transit lines, campuses: what matters is whether they work, year after year. New piece on why Canada must fund operations as seriously as construction: dbellerive.substack.com/p/delivery-d...

My latest video for Rail Fans Canada! Exciting progress along the tracks of Stage 2 East in Ottawa. Hopefully we have some good news later this year regarding the timeline for this transformative project to open.

“Efficiencies” don’t balance the books: they erode services and trust in our governments, institutions and organizations. My first (!!!) op-ed in the Ottawa Citizen: Why respect for taxpayers must mean real investment in transit, housing, and climate resilience. ottawacitizen.com/opinion/taxp...

Canada doesn’t suffer from a lack of plans. It suffers from a lack of delivery. The new Major Projects Office is a step forward, but the real test is whether Canada can build the capacity to deliver. dbellerive.substack.com/p/the-time-t... #Infrastructure #Canada #Delivery

Toronto’s streetcars carry more riders every weekday than Ottawa + Edmonton’s rail systems combined. They’re not broken. They’re underpowered. Under-prioritized. The reasons? Not technical: political, spatial, social. Read: open.substack.com/pub/dbelleri... #Transit #Cities #Urbanism #Toronto

In case you missed it! We know how to build infrastructure that works, so why don’t we? dbellerive.substack.com/p/we-know-ho...

If we already know how to build better infrastructure — why don’t we? New post on the real barriers: not technical, but cultural, institutional, and human. dbellerive.substack.com/p/we-know-ho...

What’s the difference between a cancelled project and one that gets built? Sometimes, it’s who’s in charge. New essay on how institutions are reshaping how we build things in Canada, and what it might cost us. dbellerive.substack.com/p/whos-going... #infrastructure #Canada #governance #transit

People lined up to visit… a closed train station. Not because it was new. Because, for once, they were invited in. If we want people to care about public systems, we need to build toward inclusion, not just completion. New post: open.substack.com/pub/dbelleri... #infrastructure #transit

Excited to share the launch of my Substack and a first post! It’s about infrastructure, systems, and figuring out how to go from talking to doing. Do not hesitate to share your thoughts, I'd love to hear them. open.substack.com/pub/dbelleri... #Infrastructure #Transit #Delivery

ne manquez pas la nouvelle exposition éphémère à la station berri-uqam dans le couloir de l'accès d (de maisonneuve)! #stminfo don't miss out the opportunity to see the new temporary art exhibition at berri-uqam station (near the de maisonneuve entrance/exit)! #stminfo

Not to be THAT guy, but have they considered that capacity is only ONE factor? Like if I am gonna miss a train and wait 10 minutes for the next one, I might just walk instead. I’d also love to see what they consider “light”, “medium” and “high”. uOttawa Station during “off-peak” is a mess.

POV: your autofocus loves the snow. 🙃

My newest video for @railfans.ca is out now! Go check it out! Coast to Coast 2024: Exploring Canada’s Passenger Rail Projects and Progress As we wrap up 2024, Coast to Coast takes you on a journey through the progress of passenger rail projects across Canada. youtu.be/H9IFLQKyyis

I don’t think there is a better way to phrase it than that. Just. Build. The. Darn. Thing.

Coming soon(ish) to a @railfans.ca near you! This might be my favourite project to work on every year, and this time, it is a MASSIVE one! For reference, the 2023 and 2022 ones were 16 minutes each... *Placeholder thumbnail and title.

Believe it or not, but this fella is responsible for 95% of all fare evasion in Ottawa. Good thing he doesn't know how to read a schedule though, for now...

Exploring Lines 2 and 4 of the O-Train tonight! I ran into some people who shared their experiences so far, and I am very happy to report they are very positive! Comfortable ride, great trains, nice to have this corridor again! If you haven’t already, take the time to go check it out!

Attention all Rail Fans! We’re considering a limited run of Rail Fans Canada enamel pins, but we need your feedback to make it happen. Take the quick survey here: forms.gle/PsD7ikEBA5o7... Your input helps us create merch that you’ll love, so don’t miss out!

An O-Train kinda week! So happy to FINALLY be able to be onboard Line 2 and 4 after many years of waiting. The Stadler FLIRT are a massive upgrade for Ottawa’s North-South line. Smooth, comfortable, high capacity. Oh, and SCREENS.

The best sales pitch for the Steam Deck is trying a ROG Ally for 24 hours. The hardware is fine, Windows isn’t.

Thanks to your continued support and enjoyment of our content, today we celebrate 6000 subscribers on YouTube. Happy Holidays to all. YouTube.RailFans.ca

My latest video for Rail Fans Canada! Many thanks for OC Transpo for the opportunity to explore the new lines and share this video with you all! If you have any questions about O-Train Lines 2 and 4, do feel free to reach out!

Who's coming to Richmond tomorrow morning?!?!🤓 dailyhive.com/vancouver/sk...

Exploring O-Train Line 2: A Complete Ride from Limebank to Bayview Station. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvxb... In this non-stop video, we showcase the entire route, with commentary highlighting the train itself, each station, and key features along the way. #ottcity #ottawa

IT IS HAPPENING EVERYONE! And the early renders look VERY promising! 👀 www.railfans.ca/news/new-tra...

Read the memo and consult the slides from today's announcement regarding the opening of O-Train Line 2 and Line 4! www.railfans.ca/news/o-train...

It’s official: O-Train Lines 2 and 4 will open their doors on January 6 2025 ! 🚉 Get ready for smoother, smarter travel in Ottawa. More updates to come! 🚆 OTrain #TransitUpdate