Ontario and Toronto Start Delivery of SmartTrack Stations Program

Program to bring more frequent rapid transit service with five new stations along existing GO rail corridors

News.Ontario.ca
Aug. 18, 2021

The Ontario government and the City of Toronto have signed a revised “Ontario-Toronto Agreement in Principle,” endorsing the SmartTrack Stations Program, bringing the transit initiative one step closer to construction. The Program will see five new stations along existing GO rail corridors, offering more frequent rapid transit service for the people of Toronto.

With the agreement now signed, Metrolinx is moving forward with the procurement to build four stations located at St. Clair-Old Weston, Finch-Kennedy, King-Liberty and Bloor-Lansdowne, with the final station – East Harbour – being delivered through Ontario’s Transit-Oriented Communities Program. All five stations are anticipated to be open and operational by 2026.

“In the past, our transit maps have not kept pace with the growth in the Greater Toronto Area -- that’s why this agreement with the City of Toronto and our federal partners is a key step that will offer more route options and reduce travel times,” said Stan Cho, Associate Minister of Transportation. “When these five stations open, it will be good news for everyone: workers will spend less time communing; parents will be home quicker to their families; Jays fans will make it to the Rogers Centre easier.”

“Through this new agreement, we are working alongside the Government of Ontario to deliver SmartTrack stations that will help us get people moving across Toronto. The SmartTrack Stations Program will transform existing rail infrastructure in our city from a regional commuter service into an urban rapid transit network that will greatly benefit our residents and give them more transit options,” said Mayor John Tory. “We know that we cannot deliver vital transit projects on our own, by working with the other levels of government we can ensure that we are moving quickly to expand our transit system, relieve congestion, increase transit accessibility and create new economic and employment opportunities for residents.”

The new SmartTrack stations will be built as Ontario undertakes the largest transit expansion in Canadian history, including the delivery of Ontario’s four priority subway projects, GO Rail Expansion and new LRT service along Eglinton Avenue and Finch West. These transformative infrastructure projects are providing greater choice of reliable and convenient route options to shorten commutes and increase quality of life for local and visiting transit riders.

Once GO Rail Expansion is implemented, the SmartTrack Stations Program will benefit transit riders by offering two-way, all-day service with faster and quieter trains arriving every 15 minutes.

Quick Facts

• The SmartTrack Stations Program leverages roughly 40-kilometres of existing GO rail corridors that runs through the City of Toronto, with connections to four existing or planned subway lines and Light Rail Transit services, as well as nine local transit services from feeder bus and streetcar routes.
• By 2041, the stations are projected to attract a combined 24,000 boardings and transfers during the average weekday peak hour and are estimated to attract 3,400 new daily riders to Toronto’s transit system every weekday.
• The stations will provide easy access to more than 52 major regional destinations located within 800 metres of transit stations, including major shopping centres, community facilities and educational institutions.
• In April 2021, the province announced East Harbour Transit Hub as a future transit-oriented community bringing together multi-modal services of the Ontario Line subway, GO Rail and SmartTrack services, and future TTC light rail transit.

Quotes
"Metrolinx is thrilled to partner with the Province and the City of Toronto on the delivery of the SmartTrack Stations Program. This is an exciting step forward in transforming transit in Toronto to an urban rapid transit network. This announcement, combined with our GO Expansion and Subway programs, is a significant milestone that will create convenient transit options that connect our communities."

- Phil Verster
President and CEO of Metrolinx

"Infrastructure Ontario is pleased to be a part of building the new transit infrastructure in the City of Toronto to help bring much-needed relief to commuters and families in the region. The development of the East Harbour transit-oriented community is an exciting opportunity to deliver a complete vibrant mixed-use community with a diverse and sustainable range of spaces and services, and we look forward to the path ahead."

- Michael Lindsay
President and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario