TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling for development of a freight rail bypass to the west of Toronto that he says would allow “significant, longer-term expansion” of GO Transit commuter rail service in the region.
In a letter today (Jan. 9, 2025) to the chairman of provincial transit agency Metrolinx, posted on X.com, Ford said the agency needs to explore a bypass between CPKC’s main line in Milton, Ont., and a CN bypass line in Bramalea, about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) to the northeast, as part of what he calls GO 2.0, “the next generation GO passenger train service.”
Ford wrote that “the potential of this diversion, along with upgrades to existing freight rail corridors, could enable the expansion of GO train service and provide new and more convenient transit options for millions of people across Southern Ontario.”
Ford then directed Metrolinx to work with CPKC and CN to gain their agreement in principle by ensuring freight capacity equal to or greater than that which currently exists; undertake a preliminary assessment of elements necessary for GO 2.0, including the bypass and potential new GO lines and stations; and to work with the Ministry of Transportation to develop a timeline to complete those tasks.
The bypass proposal, known as the “the Missing Link,” was the subject of a 2015 study by the municipalities of Toronto, Mississauga, Cambridge, and Milton. The bypass would allow full-day, bidirectional commuter rail service on GO’s Milton and Kitchener lines, which is currently not feasible because of the volume of freight traffic. At that time, the study estimated the project would cost about $Ca5.3 billion.
A Toronto Star report notes that the GO stations in Milton and Bramalea are currently only connected by bus, via a trip taking up to 2 hours.
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