TORONTO — The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) was quick out of the gate to announce its approval of the provincial government’s plan to take the next steps towards construction of a high-speed rail line between Windsor and Toronto.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca unveiled plans for the project in Kitchener and London on May 19. The plan includes a link to Pearson Airport, which is operated by the GTAA.
The announcement of a feasibility study followed the release of the Ontario High Speed Rail Study by special advisor and former federal cabinet minister David Collenette. A provincial media statement indicated Collenette concluded there is a business case for high-speed rail along the Toronto-Windsor corridor and that there is a business case for involving the private sector in financing and delivering the project.
Trains on high-speed rails would move at speeds of up to 250 kilometres per hour using a combination of existing track and new rail corridors.
A request for bids for the design required to support the environmental assessment for the Toronto-Windsor corridor will be issued this fall.
Proposed stops on the new high-speed rail line include Windsor, Chatham, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and Toronto.
"The GTAA is very pleased to see the government moving ahead with this important initiative given the benefits that a link to Toronto Pearson would bring," said Howard Eng, GTAA president and CEO. "A high-speed rail service along this corridor would provide vital regional connections and help to relieve the congestion that today is stifling our economy and impacting the quality of life for all Ontarians. It could also be a key building block in support of Toronto Pearson’s mega-hub vision and would move us one step closer to making an integrated regional transit centre at Toronto Pearson a reality."
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