Province of Ontario commits to implementing Caledon-Vaughan GO rail line

The rail line will be included in the province's Greater Golden Horseshoe Transportation Plan

thestar.com
Jessica Fonseca
March 15, 2022

A Caledon-Vaughan GO rail line is in sight.

The provincial government publicly committed to including the train route in their Greater Golden Horseshoe Transportation Plan (GGHTP).

This plan outlines the transit projects the province wants to implement over the next 30 years.

Caledon council, along with the cities of Vaughan and Brampton, has been pushing for this regional link for years, as they expect significant growth over the next three decades.

“As a municipality projected to grow to 300,000 people and 125,000 jobs by 2051, advancing GO train service to Caledon now is smart, forward-looking planning. It’s a critical step in our pursuit of multiple transportation options for Caledon,” said Caledon Mayor Allan Thompson. “GO train service will help preserve Caledon’s quality of life, protect our environment and greenspaces and reduce traffic congestion.”

The announcement from the province comes after the Ministry of Transportation’s move in January that directed Metrolinx to advance the business case for the new GO rail service.

This line would serve approximately 1.3 million people from Toronto to Caledon, Vaughan and Brampton.

“Caledon is a community in need of public transportation options that address the needs of the travelling public, and our government recognizes the need to plan for the future,” said Sylvia Jones, MPP for Dufferin-Caledon. “Bringing GO rail service to Caledon is one way we are doing that in an environmentally responsible way. Rail service, in addition to new connections for passenger vehicles, allow us to provide residents with a variety of convenient transportation options that support their needs and preserve our community’s quality of life.”

The need for commuter rail service between Caledon, Vaughan and Toronto’s Union Station has been identified through many studies, such as the Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), MoveOntario 2020 and the GO 2020 strategic plan as a desired service in the near-to-medium (15 years) timeline.

Once built, the Caledon-Vaughan GO line would be the first new GO rail line constructed since 1982.

“We thank Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney for taking this important next step. We also recognize the efforts of our MPP, Sylvia Jones, who has been a strong advocate for this exciting project,” said Mayor Thompson.