Saint-Lambert residents push to keep Via Rail station open

Residents in SaintLambert, Que., are urging Via Rail not to shut down their downtown station as the company considers a request to add a stop near the Montreal Metropolitan Airport in SaintHubert, Longueuil. A local petition, launched by Herman Champagne, has drawn support from city hall. Mayor Loïc Blancquaert said the station is central to downtown activity and important to local plans for housing, offices, and retail development. Via Rail says it has received the airport’s request and is reviewing it, but no decision has been made. The company says it will work with local communities and partners, while airport officials say they support new service only if it does not replace existing stations. A decision is expected this fall.