The Region of Waterloo has started putting together its business case to bring an all-day GO Train service to Cambridge.
The train would travel from Pinebush Road and Eagle Street, through Hespeler to Guelph. Commuters would then be able to transfer onto the Kitchener line from the Guelph station and take it to Union station in Toronto.
The region, along with representatives from the City of Cambridge, held an information session last night at Cambridge City Hall to explain more about the project and answer any questions the public might have.
According to the project manager from the region, Oriana Aguas, this plan would use an existing rail line called the Fergus Subdivision Line, which is owned by CP Rail and is being used for freight trains.
This plan would piggyback on improvements already being planned for Guelph Central Station and take advantage of the all-day service from Kitchener to Toronto.
The entire track must be updated and refreshed to hold a passenger train, and lights and signage would need to be posted.
In the region's financial assessment study, the cheapest option would cost $460 million and contain a single-track to support one and a half trains per hour at an average trip speed of 78km/hr.
The most expensive option would be a single track with siding, sending two trains per hour at an average speed of 71 km/hr.
This option would cost $560 million.
Aguas also notes that when the LRT is built it will pass through the Pinebush Station, allowing riders to utilize both services.
According to the region, this entire plan hinges on the province bringing Kitchener an all-day service from downtown Kitchener to Union Station in Toronto.
Back in 2014, the Liberal government pledged to deliver all-day service by 2024. At the time of publication of this article, there is still no timeline or movement in the addition of this service.
The region's transportation planning manager, Paula Sawicki noted that this process from planning to ribbon cutting should be around six years.
Sawicki is confident in the region's case to secure the funding needed to build this line adding that Cambridge is the only urban municipality of over 100,000 residents in Ontario presently not served by passenger rail service.
"I think our case is really good. We are utilizing infrastructure upgrades that are already being built and Metrolinx has already promised all-day service, so by the time we can complete construction and planning of the Cambridge line, Kitchener should have that," said Sawicki.
The region is also hoping to secure $4.5 billion in federal and provincial funding to build the next phase of the LRT, which would run to downtown Cambridge from Fairview Park Mall.
Additional funding for the GO line between Cambridge and Guelph would come from municipalities that will benefit from the service, including Kitchener, Cambridge and Guelph. The current breakdown of costs is unknown at this time as Aguas and her team are waiting to speak with Metrolinx and the province.
"It's just too early and to be frank. We don't know how much it will cost the municipalities at this point," said Sawicki.
Some of the residents at the meeting were critical of the region's plan, citing multiple bus lines that have been cancelled due to the lack of ridership and questioning if going through Guelph is the right route.
"If we really wanted to do this we could add in another bus that would shuttle people from Cambridge to Guelph or directly to Toronto," said Cambridge resident Paul Langan. "You are going to lose ridership if you have a transfer and that is just a fact."
The other option for the GO Train back in a 2019 study by the region identified Milton as another option that would run non-stop trains back and forth to Toronto.
Aguas notes that the Milton Line was ruled out because of the economic viability of going to Guelph.
"There would be increased interest and more ridership between Guelph and Cambridge rather than going directly to Toronto," said Aguas.
Langan remembers the decades-long conversations about bringing a new train service into Cambridge and how none of them got off the ground.
"It's a little deja vu after 30 years where these talks haven't progressed and no matter which government is in power they don't get it done. It's hard not to be cynical," he said.
Cambridge regional councillor Doug Craig told CambridgeToday that he floated the idea of using the Fergus Subdivision Line for GO trains over five years ago and the region shut him down.
Craig wants to see a more concrete timeline and a better understanding of how this project will be funded.
"I want a timeline of when we're are going to cut the ribbon, no six years this and seven years that. We need to have a complete understanding of the province and Metrolinx's point of view and financial contribution," said Craig. "We need to give the residents of Cambridge a definite answer of when they could use this service."
Craig has also been critical of the region's ability to get funding for the LRT saying previously, "Who the hell is going to give Cambridge $4.5 billion for light rail transit?"
To get this project moving, the regional councillor notes this must be the region's top priority or else it won't happen.
"If the Region of Waterloo will make this its number-one project then it becomes a lot more realistic. I plan on asking the region to do this and we will see where they stand."
The region will be hosting another public information session on March 21, in the main meeting room at Guelph City Hall from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
They are also looking for feedback from the community and have asked residents to take part in a survey to give residents a chance to offer their ideas and opinions on how the service would benefit the city and if it should be implemented.
