TORONTO — Ontario has committed to building 1.5 million homes by 2031, but according to a bold new proposal from GTA Weekly, the province may be underestimating what that number can achieve.
Instead of pouring that growth into the already-overloaded Greater Toronto Area, GTA Weekly is proposing a province-wide strategy: use the same 1.5 million homes to build out nine million-person cities—each one connected by a 300 km/h high-speed rail (HSR) network.
“This isn’t just housing policy—it’s economic transformation,” said the GTA Weekly editorial board. “Ontario has the land, the talent, and the need. With HSR and smarter growth distribution, we could become the most connected jurisdiction in North America.”
🏙️ Nine Metros, One High-Speed Network
The plan envisions elevating these cities to 1 million+ status:
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Toronto
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Ottawa
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Mississauga
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Brampton
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Hamilton
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London
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Kitchener-Waterloo
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Durham Region
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Niagara Region
Each would absorb between 120,000 to 250,000 homes, depending on their current population. The remaining 1.5 million target would be distributed among strategically located smaller cities and towns with new or proposed HSR stations—such as Kingston, Peterborough, Barrie, North Bay, and Sudbury.
🚄 Don’t Stop at Toronto — Extend the Rail to Windsor
The federal government has already committed to building Canada’s first high-speed rail line, connecting Quebec City to Toronto via Ottawa. But GTA Weekly argues that the real opportunity lies west of Toronto—with corridors running to Niagara Falls and Windsor.
“We commend the federal government for leading on the Toronto–Quebec line,” says the editorial, “but Ontario’s growth isn’t stopping at Union Station. Neither should the train.”
🌍 Ontario: North America’s Most Connected Province?
If Ontario were to implement this vision, it would become the most rail-connected housing market in North America—and one of the most strategically distributed urban regions in the world.
Global Comparisons:
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United States has 11 cities over 1 million, but no true high-speed rail system between them.
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Canada has 5 million-plus cities today. This plan would bring Ontario alone up to 9.
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France connects cities like Paris, Lyon, Marseille via the TGV.
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Spain has the largest HSR network in Europe with 3,900+ km of track.
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Japan‘s Shinkansen and China’s 35,000 km HSR network are economic backbones.
Ontario wouldn’t just catch up—it would lead North America.
📊 Why the Numbers Work
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Same housing target: 1.5 million homes is already the province’s official goal.
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9 metros = 1 million each with current population growth trends.
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51,000 jobs created from HSR implementation (based on similar Canadian proposals)
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$35 billion in annual GDP growth potential with full HSR buildout
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Significant GHG reductions by replacing car and air travel with electric rail
“We’re not asking for more—we’re asking for smarter,” says the editorial team. “Smarter transit, smarter density, and a smarter distribution of opportunity.”
🔁 Rebalancing the Province
Ontario’s current housing growth is concentrated in just a few areas—mostly around Toronto, where infrastructure and affordability are stretched thin. GTA Weekly argues that spreading growth across a province wide HSR network would:
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Ease pressure on the GTA
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Revive underleveraged regions
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Lower housing costs by balancing supply and demand
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Strengthen provincial unity through physical connectivity
🛤️ Fast Track to the Future
This article is part of Fast Track, GTA Weekly’s special editorial series exploring how Ontario’s housing crisis can be solved with transit-led planning, high-speed rail, and province-wide connectivity.
“If we can connect the province, we can grow it—smarter, faster, and for everyone,” the editorial concludes.
“This is about more than just trains. It’s about building the backbone of a new Ontario.”
🚄 Fast Track is GTA Weekly’s special editorial series focused on the future of high-speed rail and transit-driven growth in Ontario.
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