VIA Rail Canada plans to build what it calls a multimodal hub near the current Exo site in Dorval to create a “one-stop shop” for transit in the West Island. The hub will bring together the passenger rail services of VIA and Exo, as well as the shuttle services to Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, all under one roof. VIA Rail Canada spokesperson Karl Helou says the goal is to make transfers easier. “We’re going to have a single building, which goes over the tracks so that both Exo and VIA Rail can access it,” said Karl Helou, VIA Rail Canada spokesperson. Construction and engineering firm Kiewit Cie has been selected as the project’s design and construction partner. VIA Rail says it will work closely with Exo, the Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), and the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM), which oversees public transit in the Montreal area. More than 250,000 travellers pass through VIA Rail’s Dorval station each year, according to the company. The Mayor of Dorval, Marc Doret, says residents have been waiting for easier access for a long time. Especially with all the construction and traffic near the airport. “I think that’s going to make it a lot easier for older folks, younger folks, just to get around and use the system a bit better,” he said. He adds that traffic on the Dorval Circle is congested. “We know already that it can take an hour or an hour and a half just to get to the airport from the circle which is [a] very short distance,” said Doret. VIA Rail says the project remains in its early stages, and a timeline for completion, as well as its cost, have not yet been determined. It’s also unclear what will happen to VIA Rail’s existing Dorval station once the new hub opens. Construction on the project is expected to begin in 2027. Helou says travellers should not expect any service disruptions once work gets underway.
