London Rising: Ontario’s Next Million-Person Region

London Is Growing—But Is It Ready?

With a population of over 550,000, London, Ontario isn’t just a mid-sized city anymore. It’s a regional powerhouse with a growing med-tech sector, two major post-secondary institutions, and housing prices that have drawn GTA residents westward for years.

Yet you wouldn’t know it from Ontario’s housing blueprint.

The Province has assigned London a target of just 47,000 homes by 2031—less than half of what GTA Weekly believes is necessary.

If we’re serious about building for the future, London should be preparing for 1 million residents. And that starts with building 180,000 homes—across its urban core, underused corridors, and future transit hubs.

🚆 What London Has—and What It Needs

London is already plugged into Ontario’s regional network:

• Via Rail connections to Toronto, Windsor, and Sarnia

• GO Transit pilot projects (intermittent and limited)

• A modern downtown core, walkable university zones, and rapid suburban growth

• A pending Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network, with mixed political support

But it’s missing the long-term investment needed to sustain massive housing growth—especially the kind needed to get to 1 million people in the next decade.

High-speed rail is the missing link—and it’s not a new idea.

🛤️ A Proposal That’s Been Sitting on the Shelf

A proposal for a high-speed rail line from Toronto to Windsor, including major stops in London and Kitchener, was first introduced by the Ontario Liberal government under Premier Kathleen Wynne in 2017. Funding was committed for environmental assessments and planning work—but the project was shelved after the 2018 election.

Today, there are signs the federal Liberal government may consider reviving the idea. But so far, no concrete announcements have been made.

At GTA Weekly, we say: don’t stop at Toronto.
The federal government has already committed to high-speed rail from Quebec City to Toronto—now it’s time to extend that corridor westward to Windsor, connecting Pearson Airport, Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, Chatham and London into a truly province-wide HSR network.

📊 Our Blueprint: 180,000 Homes

GTA Weekly proposes building 180,000 new homes in London, nearly quadrupling the province’s current target. These homes would support:

• A future population of 1 million+

• A mix of mid-rise corridors, student-oriented housing, and family units

• Walkable, BRT and LRT-connected neighbourhoods beyond the urban core

• Modular and pre-approved infill on vacant or underused land

Just look at how London’s population surged during the pandemic. Remote work made London a viable base for those tied to Toronto, Waterloo, and Windsor. Add high-speed rail—and that potential multiplies.

📎 Provincial vs. GTA Weekly Targets

We commend the provincial government for setting a target—but London needs more than 47,000 homes. It needs vision.

🏗️ Where Will the Homes Go?

London has the land. What it lacks is a plan.

Here’s where the 180,000 homes could be built:

• Downtown Core & Richmond Row: Mid-rise intensification and adaptive reuse

• Western & Fanshawe zones: Higher-density student and faculty housing

• Hyde Park, Argyle, Pond Mills: Transit-ready suburban growth

• BRT corridors: Mid-rise, mixed-use along east-west arterials

• Industrial lands: Converting greyfields into live-work districts

This isn’t about cramming towers into every neighbourhood. It’s about smart zoning, infrastructure alignment, and building walkable communities.

🏁 Final Word: London’s Opportunity in a Growing Canada

The United States now has 11 cities with populations over 1 million. Canada currently has just five—Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa. But that number can grow.

Ontario has the opportunity to lead. With cities like London, Brampton, Hamilton, and Kitchener-Waterloo on track for massive population growth, Canada could soon rival the U.S. in urban scale and regional balance.

London should be next.

With the right housing targets and a recommitment to high-speed rail, London can become a model for sustainable, mid-sized growth—and take its place among Canada’s next generation of great cities.

Let’s stop underestimating London. Let’s build it for what it’s becoming.

📐 Square Footage is GTA Weekly’s weekly real estate editorial—tracking how design, density and development are shaping our neighbourhoods—and now, our province.