News Release

March 26, 2003

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA OFFERS $435 MILLION FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO GO TRANSIT AND YORK REGION TRANSIT NETWORKS

OTTAWA, Ontario - Allan Rock, Minister of Industry and Minister Responsible for Infrastructure, and David Collenette, Transport Minister and Minister Responsible for the Greater Toronto Area, today announced that the Government of Canada is willing to contribute $435 million for improvements to GO Transit's rail network in the extended Greater Toronto Area (GTA) as well as for the "Quick Start" phase of the York Region Rapid Transit Plan.

The Government of Canada's investment will aid in increasing track capacity to accommodate additional train frequencies at peak hours and introduce all-day service to many municipalities, eliminate grade crossings, upgrade existing track and introduce new services to more communities. The Government of Canada contributions will be sourced from the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund and from the Government of Canada's Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative.

As part of this announcement, the Government of Canada is willing to provide $50 million to the "Quick Start" project. "Quick Start" is a three-year strategy to implement rapid transit in four key corridors across York Region: Yonge-Newmarket, Highway 7, Vaughan-Downsview, and Markham-Don Mills. This investment will be directed towards the purchase of new rapid transit vehicles, the construction of stations and terminals and the improvement of selected rights-of-way.

"Getting people out of cars and onto transit will provide a significant step in implementing our Kyoto commitments to reduce greenhouse gases and contribute to our urban strategy for a safer, more efficient and environmentally responsible transportation system for the extended GTA," said Minister Rock. "It will help ease gridlock and reduce the average travel times for commuters in this urban region."

"This investment by the Government of Canada will deliver more frequent and more reliable service to more communities served by GO Transit's and York Region's networks," said Minister Collenette. "By attracting more commuters to transit, this federal transportation strategy for southern Ontario and the GTA will help to improve the quality of life for the residents of this region."

The Government of Canada believes that improving GO Transit's network across the extended Greater Toronto Area and implementing the first phase of the York Region Rapid Transit Plan are key infrastructure priorities. The results of these investments will serve to improve the flow of goods and people, reduce congestion and harmful emissions and improve our quality of life.

Following today's announcement, the Government of Canada will pursue discussions with the Government of Ontario to secure provincial and municipal funding to complete these projects.

Through the $2 billion Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, the Government of Canada continues to collaborate with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, as well as with the private sector, to invest in strategic infrastructure projects across the country. Investments made through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund are directed to large-scale projects of major national and regional significance in areas that are vital to sustaining economic growth and supporting an enhanced quality of life for Canadians.

GO Transit is Canada's first, and Ontario's only, interregional public transit system, established to link Toronto with the surrounding regions of the GTA. It carries more than 43 million passengers a year in an extensive network of train and bus services. It currently operates 178 train trips per weekday carrying a total of 140,000 rail passengers per day, or more than 35 million passengers each year.

York Region is experiencing significant growth. The "Quick Start" program will provide convenient, reliable and fast public transit service for commuters. Key stations of the York Region Rapid Transit Plan, such as the Langstaff station to be built under "Quick Start", will be designed as intermodal terminals, creating links to GO's rail network and the Toronto Transit Commission's subway network. "Quick Start" is expected to shift over 7,000 commuter trips per day from automobile transportation to public transit.

For additional information on the Government of Canada's Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative, please visit www.towaterfront.ca.

Contacts:

Selena Beattie
Office of Allan Rock
Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Infrastructure
(613) 995-9001

Anthony Polci
Office of the Minister of Transport
(613) 991-0700

Infrastructure Canada
Communications Branch
(613) 948-1148

BACKGROUNDER

BENEFITS OF TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS FOR THE EXTENDED GREATER TORONTO AREA (GTA)

Modern infrastructure and smart transportation choices are key to the prosperity of our cities and the health of our communities. In the September 2002 Speech from the Throne, the Government of Canada committed to providing a safe, efficient and environmentally responsible transportation system that will help reduce congestion in our cities and bottlenecks in our trade corridors. This will also help meet Canada's commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.

As part of the Government of Canada's Climate Change Plan, the federal government has committed to emphasizing partnerships with provinces, territories, communities, the private sector and non-governmental organizations to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a variety of means. The plan proposes to place a greater emphasis on public transit in existing and future infrastructure funding. The federal government has also proposed a personal goal for each Canadian to reduce emissions by an average of one tonne per year by 2008-2012, supported by incentives, improved information and product availability.

In the 2003 budget, the Government of Canada again emphasized the importance of climate change initiatives, providing additional funding of $2 billion over five years for climate change investments, including sustainable transportation.

York Region is the fastest-growing regional municipality in the GTA and one of the fastest growing municipalities in Canada. Between 1996 and 2001 alone, York Region's population increased by 26 per cent. This rapid growth rate is projected to continue, with York Region reaching a population level of 1,280,000 by 2026.

Currently, York Region Transit operates more than 140 buses and carries approximately 30,000 commuters per day. It provides service to the municipalities of Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, King, Markham, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, and Whitchurch-Stouffville.

The "Quick Start" program is designed to provide convenient, reliable and fast public transit service for commuters. The program is expected to shift more than 7,000 commuter trips per day from cars to public transit, reducing gridlock and contributing to Canada's climate change goals.

GO Transit is Canada's first, and Ontario's only, interregional public transit system, established to link Toronto with the surrounding regions of the Greater Toronto Area. It already carries more than 43 million passengers a year in an extensive network of train and bus services that is one of North America's premier transportation systems.

The initiatives announced for funding of GO Transit represent a significant step in achieving Canada's greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and enhancing health, quality of life and economic prosperity for Canadians. For example, one GO train with 10 cars carries as many people as 1,400 automobiles. Every person who takes the GO train rather than driving saves 3 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.

The results of this funding are expected to contribute to Canada's Climate Change Plan and enhance quality of life by:

• eliminating 13.1 million car trips, representing a shift of 14.4 million commuters from cars to GO Transit;
  
  
• reducing annual fuel consumption by 40 million litres;
  
  
• reducing travel time and stress;
  
  
• conserving land in the GTA and reducing the need for parking spaces; and
  
• improving air quality and reducing smog through lower emissions.

Furthermore, the rail lines used by GO Transit also carry VIA Rail, Amtrack, Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) trains. These operators will also enjoy benefits realized from this funding and contribute to economic growth and the quality of life of the residents of the extended GTA.

Specifically, the funding for GO infrastructure will provide for:

• the addition of a third track, a new storage yard and improvements to signalling systems along the Lakeshore and Union Station corridors between Scarborough-Union Station-Hamilton;
  
  
• the construction of grade separations and improvements to track and stations along the Georgetown and Milton corridors;
  
  
• the construction of grade separations, track improvements and new stations along the Bradford and Stouffville corridors;
  
  
• track improvements and new service to Barrie; and
  
  
• introduction of bus-rail service to Peterborough, Cambridge, Niagara Falls and Guelph/Kitchener/Waterloo.

DETAILS OF TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS FOR THE EXTENDED GREATER TORONTO AREA

Today's announcement means that the Government of Canada will pursue discussions with the Government of Ontario to secure matching provincial and municipal funding to complete the following projects:

Union Station corridor

Improvements to track and signal infrastructure
Modernization of the 70-year-old track and signal infrastructure will increase the core capacity of the track network in the Union Station corridor, allowing additional GO and VIA trains to operate as well as accommodating future rail services.

East Storage Yard Improvements
This storage yard close to Union Station will allow improved staging of trains and better use of the track capacity into and out of Union Station. By reducing train congestion in this area, the reliability of the existing operation will be improved, and the track network will be better able to accommodate additional GO trains in peak periods.

Lakeshore corridor from Scarborough to Hamilton

Addition of a third track from Port Credit to Oakville and from Burlington to Hamilton Junction
Adding a third track will increase core capacity and allow the operation of additional GO and VIA trains, increase use of the rail fleet, and improve service reliability on what is one of the most heavily-used track segments in all of Canada. The addition is also a pre-requisite for the extension of the Lakeshore corridor westward into the Niagara peninsula. These lines currently serve Halton and Peel Regions, Toronto West, as well as Aldershot and Hamilton Stations.

Addition of a third track from Union Station to Scarborough
The new track will increase the core capacity of the Lakeshore East corridor, serving Durham Region and Toronto East (as well as York Region via the Stouffville corridor). Adding a third track will allow additional GO and VIA trains to operate during peak periods, increase use of the rail fleet, and improve service reliability. Increased core capacity is also a prerequisite for extension of the Lakeshore corridor eastward to Bowmanville, and facilitates all-day rail service on the Stouffville corridor.

Georgetown and Milton corridors

Rail/rail grade separation at the West Toronto diamond on the Georgetown corridor
This grade separation will allow additional peak period GO and VIA trains to operate across the CPR freight corridor and is a prerequisite for all-day train service from Brampton to Union Station. This will reduce operating costs and improve service reliability, and is essential for a future air-rail link from Lester B. Pearson International Airport to Union Station.

Various road/rail grade separations on the Georgetown corridor
These projects will enhance the efficiency of GO and VIA trains, facilitate a future air-rail link and improve road safety and traffic flow at rail crossings.

Increased track capacity on the Georgetown corridor
Increased track capacity will allow increased train movements between Brampton and Union Station for GO and VIA and accommodate a future air-rail link service. Projects include widening of bridges at the Humber River and Black Creek, as well as a three-track cross-section along several sections of corridor from Union Station to Malton.

Increased track capacity on the Milton corridor
Increasing the track capacity, primarily within Mississauga, will allow for higher peak-period frequencies and will facilitate train movements during off-peak periods. This is a prerequisite for further extension westward to Cambridge.

North Toronto corridors

Rail/rail grade separation: GO Bradford corridor
The grade separation will allow additional peak period GO trains to operate across the CN freight corridor and is a prerequisite for all-day train service from Bradford to Union Station (East Gwillimbury, Newmarket, Aurora, King City, Maple, Rutherford, York University). This will reduce operating costs and improve reliability.

Rail/rail grade separation: GO Stouffville corridor
This grade separation will allow additional peak period GO trains to operate across the CN freight corridor and is a prerequisite for all-day train service from Stouffville to Union Station (Markham, Centennial, Unionville, Milliken, Agincourt). It will reduce operating costs and improve service reliability.

Introduction of new GO service

Extension of GO Bradford train service to Barrie
This will complement connecting GO bus service from Barrie, reducing parking demand at Bradford corridor stations and the need for more train storage requirements at Bradford.

Introduction of GO Service to Peterborough, Cambridge, Niagara Falls and Guelph/Kitchener/Waterloo
A new GO Bus-Rail service will be introduced to Peterborough, Cambridge, Niagara Falls and Guelph/Kitchener/Waterloo, providing a bus link to GO's rail network in both peak and off peak periods. Over time, these services would be expected to migrate to rail service, where demand may warrant.

York Region

Quick Start component of the York Region Rapid Transit Plan
Quick Start is a three-year, early-initiative strategy to implement rapid transit in four corridors: Yonge-Newmarket, Highway 7, Vaughan-Downsview, and Markham-Don Mills. It is designed to provide convenient, comfortable, reliable and speedy public transit services for people in York Region. It consists of an integrated package of new rapid transit vehicles, stations and terminals, technology applications, and selected right-of-way improvements. Key stations of the York Region Rapid Transit Plan, such as the Langstaff station, will be designed as intermodal terminals, creating links to GO's rail network and the TTC's subway network. Quick Start is expected to shift over 7,000 commuter trips per day from automobile transportation to public transit.

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