The federal government will seek bidders in January for its plan to contract out Via rail service in central Canada and rebuild the passenger links from Toronto to Quebec City, Transport Canada said Monday. (The Logic)

Talking point: The government released an update on the 800-kilometre megaproject specifying that getting it through potentially onerous environmental approvals will be the government’s job—not the private partner’s—and that the eventual deal will keep the financial risks of a total flop with the government. The Canada Infrastructure Bank will play a role in assuming some of that risk and will draw up a detailed term sheet for its investment that all potential bidders can use. In return for assuming the risks of an extreme failure, the government will “have a corresponding upside revenue-sharing mechanism,” the update to the initial request for expressions of interest said, so there will be more public payoff if high-frequency rail is a success.