Ontario to Officially Open New Bloomington GO Station

Province Expands Richmond Hill Line with New Terminal Station

News.ontario.ca
June 17, 2021

The Ontario government is opening the new Bloomington GO Station that will further extend the Richmond Hill line, bringing more transit options and better connectivity to York Region. Starting June 28, 2021, GO trains and buses will begin serving Bloomington GO Station, giving customers full access to the new, four-level station, located at Highway 404 and Bloomington Road. The province is transforming GO Transit into a modern, reliable and fully integrated rapid transit network that will support the future generations to come.

The announcement was made by Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation, Kinga Surma, Associate Minister of Transportation (GTA), Michael Parsa, MPP for Aurora--Oak Ridges--Richmond Hill and Paul Calandra, MPP for Markham--Stouffville.

“We’ve reached an incredible milestone with the completion of the new Bloomington GO Station, a major transit stop that extends the Richmond Hill line further north,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “By helping to better connect communities, we’re keeping our promise to build accessible, modern transit infrastructure that drives economic growth and spurs job and housing opportunities across the province.”

The new Bloomington GO Station is complete with nearly 1,000 parking spots, a three-level parking structure and a passenger drop-off and pick-up area, to help keep commutes as simple as possible. The new bus loop has six bus bays that can accommodate GO Transit services and any future local transit connections. Customers will also have access to additional COVID-19 safety measures including hand sanitizer at the station and seat dividers on all buses and trains.

The new station will extend the Richmond Hill line approximately five kilometres, past Gormley GO Station and further north into Richmond Hill, which means more riders in York Region will have a direct ride into downtown Toronto. As of opening day, the new Bloomington GO Station will be served by four Richmond Hill line GO trains during both the morning and evening rush hours, as well as 17 GO buses servicing the Route 61 trip every weekday.

“We are delivering on our commitment to bring more frequent access to transit for people in Richmond Hill and the surrounding areas of Aurora and Whitchurch-Stouffville,” said Kinga Surma, Associate Minister of Transportation (GTA). “By extending the Richmond Hill line, which spans across York Region, we are delivering a modern public transit system that gets people where they want to go that much faster.”

Bloomington GO Station’s entrance waiting area is 668 square feet and has a large glass roof atrium that allows for plenty of natural lighting. Elevators and accessible ramps are found throughout the building to allow passengers to navigate all four levels of the station.

“The opening of Bloomington GO Station is a game changer for those living in the areas of Richmond Hill and Aurora,” said Michael Parsa, MPP for Aurora--Oak Ridges--Richmond Hill. “This new station has close proximity to Highway 404 and will be a vital transit hub and new home base for riders to travel directly into Toronto.”

“The health and safety of public transit passengers is a top priority for our government,” said Paul Calandra, MPP for Markham--Stouffville. “When people return to transit, they will have an entirely new experience at Bloomington GO Station, which offers more connections to local communities and safety measures that will keep riders safe.”

“The new Bloomington GO Station is another important addition to the development of an integrated and efficient transit system serving Richmond Hill and York Region,” said Joe DiPaola, Acting Mayor of Richmond Hill. “I want to thank the Province for its continuing investments, its incredible work on transit and delivering a new modern GO station extending the Richmond Hill line.”

“We are so proud to open the new Bloomington GO, which will deliver even more transit connections in York Region,” said Phil Verster, President and CEO of Metrolinx. “Our customers will have access to a brand-new station building with amenities that will keep them safe as they travel on GO Transit and will support future growth in the region.”

As outlined in the 2021 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy, planned investments will help stimulate job creation and are vital to support COVID‑19 relief efforts. The opening of Bloomington GO Station is part of the government’s broader commitment to deliver GO Rail Expansion.

Quick Facts

• New amenities at Bloomington GO Station include 253 surface parking spaces and a three-level parking structure with 765 parking spaces, which has a car counting system to locate available parking spots faster.
• Customers can stay clear from the elements with heated platform shelters and platform snowmelt system.
• COVID-19 safety measures, which include hand sanitizer at the station and self-serve options that are available to enhance customer safety and comfort.
• Construction at the station began in early Spring 2017.
• Metrolinx procured the Bloomington GO project using a design, bid, build delivery model.
• On December 2016, the $82.4M contract was awarded to Kenaidan Contracting Ltd.
• The station building and parking structure is built to LEED Gold standard and features roof-top solar panels to help generate electricity.