MoveOntario 2020

The Government of Ontario announced a major package of transit improvements today. The plan is called MoveOntario 2020 and calls for C$ 17.5 billion to construct 52 new transit projects over the next 12 years. If even half of it actually happens, it will be a major expansion for both GO Transit and for the TTC. Here is the list of GO improvements:

• GO Lakeshore West rail line capacity expansion by adding a third track from Port Credit to Oakville
• GO Lakeshore West rail line capacity expansion by adding a third track from Burlington to Hamilton
• GO Lakeshore East rail line capacity expansion by adding a third track from Union Station to Scarborough
• GO Lakeshore East rail line extension from Oshawa to Bowmanville
• GO Lakeshore rail line electrification (SuperGO)
• GO Milton rail line capacity expansion from Union Station to Milton
• GO Georgetown rail line capacity expansion from Union Station to Georgetown
• GO Bradford rail line capacity expansion from Union Station to Bradford
• GO Bradford rail line extension and capacity expansion from Bradford to Barrie
• GO Richmond Hill rail line capacity expansion from Union Station to Richmond Hill
• GO Richmond Hill rail line extension to Aurora Road
• GO Stouffville rail line capacity expansion from Union Station to Stouffville and extension of the line to Uxbridge
• New GO Crosstown rail line between Weston Road and the Don Valley
• New GO Crosstown rail line between the Don Valley and Agincourt
• New GO rail line from Union Station to Bolton
• New GO rail line on the Havelock line from Agincourt to Pickering
• New GO rail line on the Seaton line from Agincourt to Brock Road in Pickering

Personally, I'm a little skeptical that we will see wires on the Lakeshore line any time soon, but the rest sounds great.

Some of these "announced" improvements to Go Transit are already under construction (or recently completed) including the first three highlights. Most others have been on somebody's wish list for several years.

While it all sounds good at first glance, it has to be taken with several grains of salt. It is, after all, an election year, and the early record of the present government did spawn a new moniker (Fiberal).