About GO East Durham

Background

In June 2016, the Provincial government of the day announced the extension of the GO Rail Service along the Lakeshore East corridor. The extension would use the Canadian Pacific (C.P.) rail line running north of Highway 401. It would run through central Oshawa to Courtice and Bowmanville, as per Metrolinx's 2011 Environmental Assessment.

The extension would connect Oshawa and Clarington to Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, Scarborough, downtown Toronto, and the rest of the Greater Toronto Area. Also, areas east of the Durham Region, including Port Hope, Cobourg, Northumberland County and Peterborough County, would enjoy easier access to the regional transit system.

In 2019, Metrolinx announced a reconsideration of route options, including routes south of Highway 401. 

On April 20, 2022, Metrolinx released the Preliminary Design Business Case for the GO Lakeshore East Extension to Bowmanville.

The Preliminary Design Business Case confirms the planned route north of Highway 401. This extends rail service on the Lakeshore East corridor, with planned station stops at Thornton's Corners, Central Oshawa, Courtice and Bowmanville.

On May 6, 2022, Premier Doug Ford announced the Progressive Conservatives intend to invest $730 million to bring two-way, all-day GO Train service to Bowmanville. 

In June 2023, Metrolinx announced Bowmanville Construction Partners (BCP) as the construction manager for the Bowmanville Extension project. BCP is a general partnership between Ledcor CMI Ltd. and Dragados Canada Inc. Learn more on Metrolinx News.

Read about the Importance and Economic Benefits of the GO Extension and review the Economic Impact Analysis. 

Visit the Metrolinx Bowmanville Expansion website for more information.

Planned Route

In February 2020, the Metrolinx Board of Directors endorsed the updated business case for the extension, choosing a modified option two routing north of Highway 401.

The routing for Option two:

• Passes through the existing Oshawa GO Station
• Uses Canadian Pacific Railway's General Motors spur line to cross Highway 401 to connect to the C.P. mainline
• Adds one new track plus sidings and passing tracks where necessary through Oshawa GO station
• Makes an eventual connection through C.P.'s Belleville Subdivision to Bowmanville

Option two includes;

• Two new GO Stations in Oshawa:
  • Thornton's Corners, located near the intersection of Thornton Rd. S. and Stellar Dr.
  • Central Oshawa, located midway between Simcoe St. S. and Ritson Rd. S., parallel to the C.P. mainline
• Two new GO stations in Clarington:
  • Courtice, situated on the west side of Courtice Rd., north of the C.P. Rail crossing
  • Bowmanville, situated on the west side of Martin Rd., parallel to the C.P. mainline

View the Metrolinx Initial Business Case Update: Bowmanville Rail Service Extension - February 20, 2020 for more details.

Map of the modified Option 2 routing and station locations

Stations

Strong Local Support

• The Region and local municipalities have supported the Lakeshore East GO rail extension for nearly 30 years
• Municipalities are financially invested in the extension;
• Clarington has purchased property for Metrolinx
• Oshawa has allocated potential capital funding for the Central Oshawa Transportation Hub
• Oshawa has also retained Parsons to complete a land use and transportation study for the Central Oshawa Transportation Hub
• Local municipalities are ready to collaborate with the Ministry of Transportation (M.T.O.) and Metrolinx on shared responsibilities
• The entire community – municipalities, post-secondary institutions, agricultural community, youth and business are supportive of the GO extension
• Municipalities to the east of Durham are also supportive of the rail extension
• The extension will help ensure an accessible education system and a modern post-secondary education sector
• Current demands on the existing Oshawa GO Station far exceed its capacity
• This project does not have a risk of local opposition

Aligned with Provincial Plans

The GO extension;

• Aligns with the relevant policy framework, including;
  • Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2019
  • Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan, 2018
  • local land use planning, economic goals, environmental priorities and transit/transportation planning
• Is embedded in local land use, transportation and transit plan
• Will support integrated and active transportation networks, supporting the development of sustainable transit-friendly communities
• Will help preserve the capacity of agricultural land by supporting growth in existing urban areas
• Is integral to Durham Region meeting their Growth Plan employment forecasts. The Region achieved just 49% of its employment forecast between 2001 and 2011 (lowest in the G.T.H.A.). Growth needs to double its current pace to meet 2041 targets.

Quality of Life

The GO extension will:

• Help reduce the negative impact of Highway 401 congestion on the economy
• Ensure cleaner air through reduced greenhouse gas emissions
• Create an integrated active transportation and transit network, where walking, cycling and local transit are integrated with GO train service
• Locate station sites in employment areas and near residential populations to help create complete communities
• Ensure an accessible education system and a modern post-secondary education sector
• Help preserve the capacity of agricultural land by supporting growth in existing urban areas
• Provide rail service for a diverse demographic that is uninterested in or unable to afford automobile use
• Attract youth (students, workers, entrepreneurs) to Durham Region to support the shift to a knowledge economy

New residential growth is occurring and adding more pressure to existing transportation networks. These networks are already overwhelmed by the 85,000 residents who leave the Region every day for work. 

For more information specific to Clarington, visit the GO East Clarington website.

 Return to GO East Durham homepage.