Despite the elimination of passenger service in the township, CN passenger and freight trains continued to travel along the line on their way to Orillia. This would continue with the consolidation of passenger services under Via Rail. In 1995, CN successfully applied to the Canadian Transport Commission to abandon the line. The last passenger train to travel the line was Via Rail No. 1 in 1996, the "Canadian", headed west to Vancouver. By the end of the year, the line north of Barrie was abandoned, along with Via Rail service to Barrie and Orillia, and the route of the "Canadian" was shifted to the east shore of Lake Simcoe, to follow the CN Bala Subdivision through Washago. This ended over 125 years of railway operations and history in the township. Today, the former right of way of the rail line has been converted into the Oro-Medonte Rail Trail, a recreational multi-use trail.