Orangeville council has officially agreed to explore future options with the town-owned Orangeville Brampton Railway, including its sale.
The Orangeville Brampton Railway Access Group (OBRAG) – a group of Orangeville businesses that use the rail line – say the rail line is vital to keeping these manufacturers in town.
Dan Braniff, chair of OBRAG and plant manager at Röchling Engineering Plastics, adds that these businesses employee more than 400 people with a combined payroll of more than $25-million.
The line costs Orangeville $450,000 annually, due to property taxes paid to Caledon, Brampton and Mississauga.
Mayor Sandy Brown says the town has been subsidizing the businesses that use the line for years by paying the taxes. But Braniff says for the last 20 years they’ve viewed it as a partnership.
Mayor Brown suggested several options with the railway including a potential sale, turning it into a trail or getting the other municipalities to become partners.
Braniff agrees that Orangeville is paying high taxes and has tried to help.
OBRAG has also appealed to the province to legislate lower property tax rates for short rail lines.
Braniff says turning the rail line into a trail would also be costly.
Councillor Todd Taylor, who introduced the motion on behalf of council, says there are a lot of unanswered questions in regards to the railway, its potential worth, and its importance to local businesses; and that this process will answer those questions.
