TORONTO: It will soon become easier for commuters and families to get around the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). The provincial government will be building a new bus terminal and renovating Kipling GO Station to connect subway, regional rail and inter-regional bus services in a major new transit hub.
Peter Milczyn, MPP for Etobicoke-Lakeshore, Yvan Baker, MPP for Etobicoke Centre, Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga, Josh Colle, Chair of the TTC, and Greg Percy, Chief Operating Officer, Metrolinx, were at the site of the new bus terminal at Kipling GO Station to break ground on the new transit hub.
The hub will include new and improved pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle connections, and integrate subway, GO train, and local and regional bus services, including GO, TTC, and MiWay services, into a single mobility hub in Toronto’s west end.
Phil Verster, President and CEO, Metrolinx, said: v“Our mission is to connect our communities. Here at Kipling Station, as we start this phenomenal project, we’re moving forward on improving the transit experience for our customers in an incredible way. Whether you ride your bike here, walk here, get dropped off, or arrive by transit, every part of the journey will be better.”
Transit will also be made more affordable for commuters and families with the introduction of more integration between transit fares. The province has already cut the cost of commuting by $1.50 for PRESTO users transferring between TTC and GO Transit or the UP Express. Beginning in early 2019, Ontario will reduce the cost of GO Transit trips to just $3 for trips under 10 kilometres anywhere on the GO network, as well as all GO and UP Express trips within the City of Toronto. Proceeds from Ontario’s carbon market will also provide fare integration discounts of up to $1.50 per ride for anyone who travels between the York, Durham, Brampton and Mississauga transit networks and the TTC, saving regular commuters up to $720 every year.
•Ontario is investing $21.3 billion to transform GO Transit from a commuter transit service to a regional rapid transit system, including the GO Regional Express Rail (RER) program. GO RER is increasing the number of weekly trips across the GO train network from about 1,100 in 2013 to nearly 6,000 by 2025.
• Construction on the Kipling Station Bus Terminal project is scheduled to complete in spring 2020.
• Since 2013, Ontario has built four new GO stations, renovated 10 existing GO stations, and added approximately 9,000 new GO station parking spots.