New Stations to Provide Additional Transit Options for Commuters

June 22, 2016 3:00 P.M.

Ministry of Transportation

Today, Ontario announced four new GO Train stations along the Stouffville and Lakeshore East GO Transit lines as part of Metrolinx's Regional Express Rail (RER) program - one each in the areas near the Unilever site in the Donlands, Gerrard and Carlaw, and Finch East and Lawrence East in Scarborough. The proposed new GO Train stations support the City of Toronto's SmartTrack plan.

RER is one way Ontario is providing faster, more frequent and more convenient transit service across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, including introducing electrification of core segments of the network by 2024.  The program will also help reduce congestion, connect people to jobs and minimize greenhouse gas pollution by reducing car trips and improve travel times.

SmartTrack adds to the province's RER program, providing subway-like urban rail services on existing GO tracks.  It will connect the Toronto region's three main jobs centres - Markham centre, the downtown financial district and airport precinct.

Ontario is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in the province's history -- about $160 billion over 12 years, which is supporting 110,000 jobs every year across the province, with projects such as roads, bridges, transit systems, schools and hospitals. In 2015, the province announced support for more than 325 projects that will keep people and goods moving, connect communities and improve quality of life. 

Expanding and improving GO Transit is part of the government's economic plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes investing in talent and skills, including helping more people get and create the jobs of the future by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. The plan is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario's history and investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses. The plan is also helping working Ontarians achieve a more secure retirement.

Quick Facts

• The proposed new GO Train stations will be considered at the June 28 Metrolinx Board of Directors meeting and are subject to funding availability, environmental assessment processes, and further planning, engineering and design work.
• Through the Moving Ontario Forward plan, Ontario is investing $31.5 billion over 10 years for transit, transportation and other priority infrastructure projects across the province.
• RER will provide faster and more frequent GO train service across the region, with electrification of core segments of the network. Weekly trips across the entire GO rail network are expected to grow from about 1,500 to nearly 6,000 over 10 years.
• Since 2003, Ontario has extended GO’s rail network by nearly 90 kilometres, opened 14 new GO stations, rebuilt four existing stations, and added more than 31,000 new parking spots across the system.
• Research shows that every $100 million of public infrastructure investment in Ontario boosts GDP by $114 million, particularly in construction and manufacturing sectors.