John Marginson
Chief Operating Officer

As Chief Operating Officer, John Marginson oversees all aspects of VIA's business relating to maintenance, engineering, fleet and inventory management, and train operations. In addition to ensuring all trains are operated reliably and safely, he is responsible for the safety and security of VIA's customers, staff and assets, and guarantees that all operations are conducted with concern for the environment.

With his extensive operations experience, Mr. Marginson has worked on countless projects involving the 480 trains that VIA runs each week. In the 1990s he steered a major overhaul of VIA's stainless steel cars, and more recently oversaw the introduction of VIA's Renaissance fleet and General Electric locomotives. Prior to his appointment as Chief Operating Officer in 2005, he supervised all aspects of VIA's capital investment program.

Born in Montreal, Quebec, in 1952, Mr. Marginson attended Concordia University before joining Canadian National in 1972. He joined VIA in 1983 and was made senior manager of the Corporation's first maintenance centre in 1985. In 1990, he took charge of the planning of VIA's maintenance operations and three years later assumed responsibility for all planning and technical aspects of equipment maintenance.