Ontario Making Transit More Convenient in Durham Region

Go train rail transit captured by GTA weekly Toronto news
Go Transit Train

Improvements to Oshawa GO Station Support Future 15-Minute Service

Ontario is making it easier and more convenient for commuters and families to take public transit in Durham Region with the opening of a new station building at Oshawa GO Station.

Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation, visited the Oshawa GO Station today with Celina Caesar-Chavannes, MP for Whitby, Granville Anderson, MPP for Durham, Roger Anderson, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Durham Region, Mayor Adrian Foster, The Municipality of Clarington, Greg Percy, Chief Operating Officer, Metrolinx, and Marie-Anna Murat, Senior Director of Communications, VIA Rail Canada, to officially open the new station building.

Upgrades include a modern ticketing counter and waiting area, bigger public washrooms and, once complete, a canopy to connect the new station building with the VIA pedestrian bridge, which will protect passengers from the elements. Changes to the parking area, bike racks, and kiss and ride lot will also make it easier for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to access the station. The new station building is designed to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards for sustainability.

The new station building is part of the largest rail project in Canada as Ontario transforms GO from a commuter transit system to a regional rapid transit system. Weekly trips across the entire GO rail network will grow from about 1,500 to nearly 6,000 by 2024-25, with electrified trains leaving every 15 minutes from Oshawa to Union Station.

The province is also cutting the cost of commuting for people in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Starting in January 2018, adult, senior, youth and student commuters will pay a TTC fare of just $1.50 when they use a PRESTO card to transfer between GO Transit or the UP Express and the TTC.

Investing in more accessible and convenient public transit is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.

QUICK FACTS

  • Oshawa GO Station is a shared facility with VIA Rail, and is the eastern-most point on the GO Rail network. Over 7,850 passengers get on and off GO trains daily at the Oshawa GO station, making it one of the busiest stations across the GO system. It accounts for 16 per cent of the total ridership on the Lakeshore East line.
  • Construction began on the new station building and other improvements in 2015. Work will continue at Oshawa GO Station until spring 2018, including the demolition of the old station building.
  • The construction cost for this project is $14 million, funded by Ontario and VIA Rail, which contributed $4.3 million to the project.
  • The upgraded Oshawa Station is part of Ontario’s $21.3 billion transformation of the GO Transit network from a commuter transit system to a regional rapid transit system.
  • Ontario is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, public transit, roads and bridges in the province’s history. To learn more about what’s happening in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

QUOTES

“The new station building at Oshawa GO Station will provide better, more accessible service for customers, and it will make travelling by GO easier and more convenient. Oshawa GO Station is an example of the major work Ontario is doing to transform GO Transit from a commuter service to a modern regional rapid transit system.”
 — Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation


“In a vast country like ours, railways remain a vital way to bring people together and to support our economy. This new station maintains interconnectivity and will provide better service to Canadians for years to come. This aligns with Transportation 2030, the Government of Canada’s long-term vision of a safe, secure, innovative and integrated transportation system.”
 — Celina Caesar-Chavannes, MP for Whitby, on behalf of the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport


“The new Oshawa GO Station will make it easier for people in Durham Region to travel to and from work, school and other opportunities across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The work Ontario is doing to expand GO Transit services in Durham Region is great news for the people of our community.”
 — Granville Anderson, MPP for Durham


“Modern transportation infrastructure is critical to support growth across the province. In Durham, our vision is to create a convenient, comfortable, connected and accessible transit system. GO Transit is an important partner in delivering that vision. Improvements at the Oshawa station will help serve our residents more effectively, and we look forward to continued improvements to services in Durham Region.”
 — Roger Anderson, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Durham Region


“At Metrolinx, we have the mobility of communities as a central theme in everything we do. This new station building at Oshawa GO is a great step towards an improved customer experience for our Durham communities and one more step towards building a great transit network for everyone.”
 — Greg Percy, Chief Operating Officer, Metrolinx


“This new station represents the future of public transportation in the region. It is a natural extension of the great collaboration that exists between GO Transit and VIA Rail. By allowing VIA Rail to use its track infrastructure, GO Transit has optimized the use of a precious public asset. By combining GO Transit and VIA Rail fares and schedules on a single ticket, we have simplified the customer experience and extended our respective networks. Today’s announcement is one more reason for travellers to make the smart choice and leave their cars at home. It’s another example of how by working together, we can build an inclusive economy while reducing the carbon footprint of transportation in Canada.”
 — Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and Chief Executive Officer, VIA Rail Canada

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