Although it would be estimated to cost $177 million and take years to build, a recent report says connecting Cambridge to Guelph by rail has a strong potential.
Cambridge is not currently connected to the GO train system operated by Metrolinx. The current line begins at Union Station in Toronto, runs through Brampton and continues through Guelph to Kitchener.
A recently released feasibility report by the Region of Waterloo suggests an option to connect Cambridge to the line would be to offer a new connection beginning in Guelph. Cambridge is the only municipality in Ontario with a population of over 100,000 people that is not serviced by passenger rail.
Connecting Cambridge to the current line will help to complete the network in southern Ontario, said the report and support local transit-oriented development in both Cambridge and Guelph.
The report said the project has strong potential to provide an efficient passenger service connecting Cambridge to Guelph and Toronto.
For the purpose of the report, a 2026 opening day was suggested for the Guelph to Cambridge connection, with two-way all-day service by 2031. The connection could bring in up to $4.2 million in revenue in its opening year, said the report, growing up to $15.3 million yearly by 2041.
Arrival and departure times would be aligned with trains at the Guelph Central Station that will continue to or come from Union Station.
The preferred location for the end point in Cambridge is at or near the Pinebush ION station, which would connect riders to the region’s light rail service.
A GO train trip between Guelph Central Station and Pinebush ION station is estimated to take 16 minutes. Currently, a GO bus trip from Guelph to Hespeler Road at Pinebush Road could take 1 hour and 37 minutes one way.
If built, the project could help reduce congestion between Guelph and Cambridge along the 401, which the report said does not have sufficient capacity to meet the growing demand.
Although a number of options are presented in the report, operating electrified trains along the Guelph to Cambridge connection is preferred, with an estimated cost of about $177 million. Although more expensive than the cheapest options, the study said electrification of the connection is recommended to ‘future-proof’ the project.
The study which led to the report was first announced three years ago, with the estimated $220,000 cost shared between the region and the province’s Ministry of Transportation.
To move forward, a business case would need to be conducted, in partnership between Metrolinx, the region, as well as involving Cambridge and the City of Guelph. An environmental assessment process would typically follow.
