With one of the proposed stop being in Chatham-Kent, the Ontario government is moving forward with plans to build a new high speed rail system from Toronto to Windsor.
High speed rail cuts down on travel times, gives people more low-carbon transportation options, and creates new opportunities for workers and businesses, government officials say.
Ontario is supporting economic growth in Southwestern Ontario and across the province by moving forward with high speed rail along the Toronto-Windsor corridor, becoming the first province to undertake a rail transformation of this magnitude.
Premier Kathleen Wynne, Steven Del Duca, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, and Deb Matthews, MPP for London North Centre, were in London on Friday to announce that the province is moving ahead with preliminary design work on the project and investing $15 million in a comprehensive environmental assessment.
“Building high speed rail along the Toronto-Windsor corridor isn’t just a game changer for Southwestern Ontario — it’s going to deliver benefits all along the line,” Wynne stated.
“Seven million people live along the Toronto-Windsor transportation corridor. High speed rail will get them where they need to be faster. Whether it means accepting a job that previously seemed too far away, visiting family more often or having ready access to the innovators who can take your business growth to the next level — high speed rail will make a real difference in people’s lives and drive economic growth and jobs.”
High speed rail along the Toronto-Windsor corridor will connect people, cut travel time & create good jobs in Southwestern Ontario pic.twitter.com/tJ0hPhWRih
— Kathleen Wynne (@Kathleen_Wynne) 19 May 2017
Ontario will establish a new governing body to oversee the work required to design and implement high speed rail, government officials say.
The announcement comes as the province releases a new report by David Collenette, Ontario’s Special Advisor on high speed rail.
In 2015, Mr. Collenette was asked to assess the project’s feasibility. After extensive consultations, his report has concluded that there is a business case for high speed rail along the Toronto-Windsor corridor and that there are opportunities to engage the private sector in financing and delivering the project.
“High speed rail will have a transformative impact on travel in Southwestern Ontario, helping people to innovate, connect with each other, and travel for work, study and play,” Del Duca stated.
“This is just one part of our plan to invest in transit across the province — connecting communities and supporting growth in jobs and the economy.”
High speed rail could cut travel times between Toronto and Windsor from four hours to just over two, government officials say.
More details from the Ontario Liberals:
– Trains on high speed rails would move at speeds of up to 250 kilometres per hour using a combination of existing track and new, dedicated rail corridors.
– A request for bids for the design required to support the Environmental Assessment for the full length of the Toronto-Windsor corridor will be issued this fall.
– Proposed stops on the new HSR line include Windsor, Chatham, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and Toronto, with a connection to Pearson International Airport.
– Ontario will continue to engage with private and public partners, including Indigenous communities and municipalities, while the environmental assessment, design work and ridership forecasting are completed.
– The Honourable David Collenette, a former federal Minister of Transport, has significant experience interacting with diverse and influential stakeholders, as well as knowledge of policy and regulatory issues related to the transportation sector. Since his retirement from Parliament in 2004, Mr. Collenette has served as an advisor to many organizations in the defence and transportation industries.
