The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) has announced plans to partner with transportation agency Metrolinx in a C$40m (US$30m) project to extend the Eglinton Crosstown West light rail line from Renforth to Toronto Pearson Airport.
This commitment represents another step toward bringing key transit connections to the airport and building a regional transit network, anchored by a new regional transit center (RTC) at Pearson – to be known as Union Station West.
The initiative will build on the GTAA-Metrolinx joint-work program announced in April 2018. The GTAA has invested C$38m (US$28m) in work currently underway, and this additional announcement will bring the total investment to a potential C$78m (US$58m). The current GTAA-Metrolinx joint program involves working to improve rapid transit access to Pearson Airport. This includes exploring potential ground connections to the future Union Station West and surrounding Airport Employment Zone, a potential Kitchener GO rail corridor connection, and improved LRT and bus connections.
“Significant improvements to our regional transit system are required for our region to be able to compete globally, and that is why we are making this financial investment to advance this work,” said Howard Eng, president and CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority.
“We will continue to push for improved transit that connects to Toronto Pearson and the Airport Employment Zone as well as the creation of Union Station West.”