CP Holiday Train will be a virtual fundraiser for food banks this winter

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train, which typically rolls through Kamloops and Salmon Arm each year, will be hosting a virtual train experience this winter.

CP Rail will be donating to food banks along its regular route this year and will host a virtual concert, which aims to bring attention to food insecurity, according to a CP Rail press release. The details of the virtual benefit concert have yet to be released.

"COVID-19 has created many challenges for communities across our network and has only increased the need at local food banks and food shelves," said CP president and chief executive officer Keith Creel, in the press release. "The spirit of the Holiday Train program and the Christmas spirit will carry on this year through our virtual concert. We will have the Holiday Train rolling again spreading Christmas cheer as soon as it's safe to do so."

CP launched the Holiday Train in 1999, and every year since it has traveled across Canada and the northern U.S. raising money, collecting food and drawing attention to the work of local food banks.

In its first 21 years, the train raised $17.8 million and collected 4.8 million pounds of food for local food banks in communities along CP's network, CP said.

CP intends to resume the Holiday Train in 2021.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Carli Berry or call 250-864-7494 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.