Rapid Transit in Waterloo Region - History

History

In 2004, the Regional Municipality of Waterloo began an Individual Environmental Assessment to study the feasibility of constructing a rapid transit line to provide higher-order public transit service to the Region and to encourage more compact urban growth along the corridor.

The EA took a broader approach to studying possible routes and stations for the rapid transit line, examining several options such as utilizing existing tracks/roads and constructing new facilities. In keeping with legislation, the Environmental Assessment also examined ten possible transport technologies, including monorails and subways.

The EA originally consisted of three phases:

Phase 1: Determine a preferred transportation strategy from options such as road expansion, improved conventional transit, and rapid transit. Phase 1 was completed in July 2006.

Phase 2:

Step 1: Determine a preferred route design (grade separated, dedicated on-road, dedicated off-road, etc.) and technology. The EA examined ten different technologies including light rail, bus rapid transit, monorail, and subway. Step 1, completed in February 2007, determined that light rail transit and bus rapid transit were best suited to meet the needs of the Regional Growth Management Strategy.

Step 2: Determined a short list of preferred routes and technologies for seven segments of a rapid transit system (completed in 2008).

Step 3: Proposed an overall preferred rapid transit system (completed June 2009)

Phase 3: Design an implementation plan for the rapid transit system.

In June 2008, the Province of Ontario announced a new expedited Transit Project Assessment Process, called Ontario Regulation 231/08. In August 2008, the Region notified the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) to advise that the it would transition from the Individual EA to the expedited process. For that reason, Phase 3 of the Individual EA will not be completed. The Region expects to transition to the new Assessment Process in the Fall of 2009.

On June 24, 2009 Regional council approved the initiative and the Region is in discussions with Provincial and Federal governments to obtain funding for the $790 million project. Light Rail Transit (LRT) has been short-listed as the technology for the new rapid transit system. The Region has decided upon a staged approach for building Light Rail from Conestoga Mall to Fairview Park Mall, passing through Uptown Waterloo and Downtown Kitchener on the way. Adapted Bus Rapid Transit (aBRT) is to be built initially from Fairview Park Mall to Ainslie Street terminal in Cambridge utilizing shoulder bypass lanes along highways 8 and 401 during heavy traffic where speeds are 40 km/h or less.

In summer of 2010, funding from higher levels of government was announced: $300 million from the province of Ontario, and $265 million (or up to 1/3 of the full cost) from the federal government. The provincial figure was disappointing to supporters, as they had previously promised 2/3 of the cost. The Region must now look into funding the remaining $200–300 million if the project is to go ahead as planned.