About

What is the GO train Lakeshore East extension?

The project is the extension of the Lakeshore East GO rail corridor through central Oshawa to Bowmanville. 

The Environmental Assessment for the extension was in the approved by the Provence in 2011, with the GO Lakeshore East rail line crossing to the north side of Hwy 401 just east of Thickson Road with two new stations in central Oshawa and two stations in Clarington, specifically in Courtice and Bowmanville, along the Canadian Pacific rail corridor.

The following map shows the approved route for the extension: 

What is the GO train Lakeshore East extension project all about?

This project is about:

• Generating $1.1 billion in transit-oriented, walkable urban development that would enable:

  • 21,000 permanent new jobs
  • 6,000 person years in construction employment
  • 6,000 new homes to be built within walking distance of a GO station;
  • $70 million in annual savings for residents related to time, vehicle costs and improved road safety;
  • 50 million kilometres a year reduction in private vehicle use, significantly reducing the amount of CO2 emissions;
• aligning Provincial plans (e.g. Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe), local land use planning, economic goals, environmental priorities and transit/transportation planning and investments;
• enabling local investment and job creation, business attraction, expansion and retention;
• helping to relieve the negative impact of Hwy 401 congestion on the economy;
• improving quality of life given the known physical and mental impacts of commuting by car;
• ensuring cleaner air through reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;
• creating an integrated active transportation and transit network, where walking, cycling and local transit are integrated with GO train service with access to station sites that are in proximity to residential populations and employment areas;
• ensuring an accessible education system and a modern post-secondary education sector, given significant Provincial investment in three post-secondary institutions - Durham College, University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Trent Durham;
• preservation of productive capacity of agricultural land close to major urban centres;
• providing GO train service that meets the needs of a whole generation of people that is not opting for automobile use; and 
• attracting youth (students, workers, entrepreneurs) to Durham Region to support the shift to a knowledge economy.

Why is the GO train Lakeshore East extension important?

• Durham Region is undergoing a fundamental and profound economic change.
• The GO train extension will be a transformational investment. It reframes the purpose of transit investment from moving commuters to Toronto to a key enabler of private sector investment in Durham Region - an investment that is critically needed as the economy of the area is significantly restructuring. 
• The extension is a means to an end - jobs, growth, quality of life - and is not an end to itself.  Read the results of the recent Economic Impact Analysis.
• Current demands on the existing Oshawa station far exceed its capacity.
• Durham Region's population is projected to increase by 230,970 by 2031 (according to the Durham Region Official Plan: 84,545 new population is expected for Pickering (Seaton); 152,235 Whitby, 31,610 for Oshawa and 43,290 for Clarington. Population growth to the east of Durham Region will account for another 344,000 persons by 2031.
• Transit extensions typically generate support but also deep local opposition. That is not a risk with this project as the business community and the public are behind the sense of urgency for this project.
• Employment targets are not being met, and new employment is almost entirely service industry related rather than high value employment.
• New residential growth is occurring and adding more pressure to transportation systems, already overwhelmed by the 85,000 residents who leave the Region every day for work. 
• Rail investment would:
• unlock the (re)development of some 60 sites with the potential to accommodate nearly eight million square feet of commercial floor space and 6,000 homes;
• drive economic growth in Durham Region by greatly expanding its access to a skilled workforce and creating up to 21,000 permanent new jobs in Durham Region;
• provide access for 170,000 additional working age people to be within a one hour transit ride of the Bowmanville GO station. Oshawa would gain access to an additional 74,000; and
• attract skilled and talented workers into Durham Region.

Who makes the ultimate decision? 

Metrolinx provides advice to the Ministry of Transportation who will make a recommendation to the Provincial Cabinet, which serves at the approval authority.