TORONTO - Via Rail has apologized and says it's investigating after a video of an employee telling a Muslim man not to pray at its Ottawa station circulated online.

The video on TikTok appears to show a Via Rail employee telling a man that he cannot pray at the station and he should go outside if he wants to pray.

Via Rail says it apologizes unreservedly to the man and to the entire Muslim community.

It says it is taking what happened “very seriously” and an investigation is ongoing.

The corporation says it will take “appropriate actions” following the investigation.

Via Rail is a Crown corporation that operates passenger rail service across the country.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2023.