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Ontario Increasing GO Transit Service Along Lakeshore East Corridor
Province’s Plan Part of Largest Infrastructure Investment in Ontario’s History
TORONTO, Ontario – April 17, 2015 – Through its Moving Ontario Forward plan, Ontario 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 the 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, 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 Lakeshore East line represents:
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Two-way, all-day 15-minute service or better on weekdays, evenings and weekends between
Oshawa and Union Station
All-stop service from Oshawa to Union Station, as well as express, non-stop service from
Pickering to Union Station in the peak period for trips originating in Oshawa.
Electrified service on the entire line
The province is making improvements across the Lakeshore East GO Transit corridor to give people
more transit options, reduce travel times, manage congestion, connect people to jobs, and improve the
economy.
Currently, there are 568 weekly trips on the Lakeshore East line; over the next five years, that number
will grow to more than 620. Over the next 10 years, weekly trips across the entire GO rail network will
grow from approximately 1,500 trips to nearly 6,000.
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
“The government is expanding access to transit and building the necessary infrastructure for now and
for the future. People using the Lakeshore East GO corridor will benefit from more train trips
throughout the day, seven days a week. 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
“This is fantastic news for transit commuters in Beaches-East York. The government’s investment in
electrification and regional express rail will bring great opportunities to the Danforth GO station and
surrounding communities, and help make Main and Danforth a transit hub for eastern Toronto.”
— Arthur Potts, MPP for Beaches-East York
QUICK FACTS
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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.
LEARN MORE
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Metrolinx
CONTACT
Phillipe Murphy-Rhéaume, Executive Assistant to Arthur Potts
T: 416-326-3057 | E: [email protected]