Ford re-commits to Northlander train

Speaking in Brampton this morning, Doug Ford said his government would spend $86.6 billion over the next 10 years to build and expand roads, highways and public transit infrastructure across Ontario, including restoring the Northlander passenger rail.

Ford says "restoring Northlander passenger rail with 16 stops from Toronto to Timmins and Cochrane," is one of five major transportation initiatives in a news release which include:

• The Bradford Bypass, a new four-lane highway that connects Highways 400 and 404 will save drivers in Simcoe County and York Region up to 35 minutes per trip;
• Highway 413, which will save drivers in Halton, Peel and York Regions up to 30 minutes each way on their commute;
• The largest subway expansion in Canadian history, including the new Ontario Line subway, the three-stop Scarborough subway extension, Yonge-North subway extension and the Eglinton Crosstown West extension with a connection to Toronto Pearson airport;
• Extending GO train service to Bowmanville, London and Niagara to connect more commuters, economies and transit riders across the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

"With the province’s population expected to grow by approximately two million people over the next 10 years, Ontario needs to build new and expanded highways and public transit," says a news release."Without more transportation infrastructure, Ministry of Transportation modelling shows that by 2051, travel times on the main stretch of Highway 401 will double with travel time taking 90 minutes longer on the 401 through the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA)This same modelling shows that all of the province’s 400-series highways in the GTHA, including Highway 407, will be at or exceed capacity within the next decade.