Ontario to add more than 300 weekly GO Transit trips by the end of the month

Ontario will introduce more than 300 new weekly GO Transit trips by the end of the month, something Metrolinx describes as “the single biggest enhancement of GO rail service since 2013.”

The changes will include 15-minute weekend service frequency on parts of the Lakeshore West and Lakeshore East lines.

It will also mean additional trains on the Kitchener, Stouffville, and Milton lines starting April 28.

Premier Doug Ford made the announcement in Milton, Ont. alongside Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria.

“This means more options and greater convenience on Milton, Lakeshore West, Lakeshore East, Kitchener, Stouffville and the UP Express Lane lines,” the premier told reporters.

“Today’s announcement represents a 15 per cent increase in GO service.”

Here’s what is changing:

• 
  Lakeshore West: Service will increase to 15-minute frequency on weekend afternoons and evenings between Oakville GO and Union Station
• 
  Lakeshore East: Service will increase to 15-minute frequency on weekend afternoons and evenings between Durham College Oshawa GO and Union Station.
• 
  Kitchener: There will be 30-minute weekday service in the midday and evenings between Bramalea GO and Union Station. Some weekend trips will be increased to 10 cars.
• 
  Stouffville: Evening train service seven days a week
• 
  Milton: One additional morning rush hour trip to and from Milton to Union Station
• 
  UP Express: Every second train (every 30 minutes) will be non-stop between Union Station and Pearson International Airport seven days a week.

The government also said that some trips along Lakeshore West, Lakeshore East, Milton, Kitchener, Barrie and Stouffville will be adjusted to depart up to nine minutes earlier or later to “better align with actual travel times, and new and connecting services.”

In a statement, CEO of Metrolinx Phil Verster called the additional trips “the single biggest enhancement of GO rail service since 2013,” adding that it will bring the total number of weekly rail trips to 2,307.

“This will give our customers more flexibility and makes it easier to choose transit first,” he said.

Announcement unrelated to Milton by-election, premier says

Ford said the timing of Monday’s announcement was unrelated to a by-election taking place in Milton on May 2, despite a suggestion from the Ontario Liberal Party.

The Liberal candidate for the riding said in a statement that all-way, all-day GO train service for Milton was something that both he and Leader Bonnie Crombie has fought for.

“Don’t be surprised by today’s abrupt change of heart, Doug is only doing it for himself,” Galen Naidoo Harris, Ontario Liberal candidate for Milton, said.

“This riding has had a Conservative MPP since 2018 and it’s only now, when this seat is at risk, that Doug Ford has managed to find Milton on the map.”

Ford said that his government is making announcements “every single day in every region of this province.”