OntarioIncreasing GO Transit Service AlongKitchener to UnionCorridor

Province’s Plan Part of Largest Infrastructure Investment in Ontario’s History

NEWS April 17, 2015

Through its Moving Ontario Forward plan, the government is investing in improvements across the GO Transit network to increase transit ridership, reduce travel times, manage congestion, connect people to jobs, and improve the economy. Funding through Moving Ontario Forward will also be used to build priority rapid transit projects that will connect to GO Transit and other systems across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

On April 16, 2015, Ontario moved ahead with its plan to unlock the value of certain public assets. The net gain provides Ontario with approximately $4 billion, which will go to Trillium Trust, where every dollar is set to build new transit and other priority infrastructure projects through Moving Ontario Forward.

Together with other asset optimization strategies, this would provide Ontario with $5.7 billion, or about $2.6 billion more from asset optimization than previously assumed. This increases Ontario’s total commitment to Moving Ontario Forward from $29 billion to $31.5 billion.This is part of the province’s plan to invest more than $130 billion over 10 years in public infrastructure, which represents the largest infrastructure investment in Ontario’s history.

The government is working with its agency, Metrolinx, to bring Regional Express Rail to the GO rail network. Regional Express Rail is the province’s 10-year initiative that will give people throughout the GTHA new travel options, with faster and more frequent GO rail service and electrification on core segments of the GO rail network.

GO RER service on the Kitchener line represents:

• Two-way, all-day 15-minute service or better on weekdays, evenings and weekends between Bramalea and Union Station
• Peak period, peak direction service on weekdays every 15 minutes between Mount Pleasant and Union Station and every 30 minutes between Kitchener and Union Station
• Express, non-stop service between Bramalea and Union Station for trips originating in Kitchener
• Electrified service between Bramaleaand Union Station, including the Union Pearson Express service

Currently, there are 80 weekly trips on the Kitchener line; over the next five years, that number will grow to more than 250. Over the next 10 years, weekly trips across the entire GO rail network will grow from approximately 1,500 trips to nearly 6,000.

As part of the largest infrastructure investment in Ontario history, the province is making improvements across the Kitchener GO Transit corridor to give people more transit options, reduce travel times, manage congestion, connect people to jobs, and improve the economy.

Maximizing the value of public assets is part of the government’s plan for Ontario. The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people’s talents and skills, building new public infrastructure like roads and transit, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.

QUOTES
“By creating better transit options we connect all Ontarians in a faster, more convenient way to the things that matter. Increased access at the Bramalea GO Station will reduce travel times, reduce congestion all while making it easier for existing and future Brampton Residents to take public transit. ”
— Harinder Malhi, MPP Brampton-Springdale

“The government is expanding access to transit and building the necessary infrastructure for now and for the future.People using the KitchenerGO corridor will benefit from more train trips and future two-way, all-day service.This is further proof of our government’s commitment to making the daily commute and quality of life better for Ontario families.”
— Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation

QUICK FACTS
 The government’s Moving Ontario Forward plan will make $31.5 billion available over the next 10 years for investments in priority infrastructure projects across the province and is expected to support over 20,000 jobs per year, on average, in construction and related industries.
 Under Moving Ontario Forward, around $16 billion is being allocated to projects in the GTHA. Transit expansion and improvement projects already underway in the GTHA include Union Pearson Express, Eglinton Crosstown LRT, York VIVA Bus Rapid Transit and Union Station Revitalization.
 Adding the second track on the Barrie line will cost approximately $17.4 million. Planning and design work is also underway to bring more train trips and two-way service to the rest of the Barrie corridor.
 Since 2003, the Ontario government has extended GO’s rail network by nearly 90 kilometres, opened 10 new GO stations, rebuilt two existing stations and added more than 31,000 parking spots across the system.
 Studies show that congestion in the GTHA alone costs Ontario’s economy between $6 billion and $11 billion a year.