Cecil Clarke hopes for delay on Cape Breton rail line decision

Cape Breton Regional Mayor Cecil Clarke says there's hope a decision to abandon the Cape Breton rail line will be delayed.

Genesee & Wyoming Canada announced it wants to abandon the line because it is unprofitable. It will apply to do so to the provincial regulators this fall.

On Friday, Federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt chaired a meeting in Sydney with Clarke, Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan and officials from CN rail and the current owner.

Clarke says Genesee & Wyoming has agreed to further meetings to give CBRM a chance to consider its options.

“With Genesee & Wyoming we are prepared to engage with non-disclosure agreements,” he says. “We can talk about the type of investments that could be coming forward that would put traffic on the line. The are very open to that at the earliest opportunity."

The group will be asking for at least a one-year extension to allow time to find a way to save the line.

Clarke says another meeting is likely in the next two weeks .