In 2019, we continued our efforts to help improve connectivity in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and across the entire region. Working with the Government of Ontario, Metrolinx and other transportation agencies, as well as municipal governments and a range of community stakeholders, we’ve moved ahead on the complex preparatory work needed to connect local light rail and regional GO train services into Toronto Pearson. And we’ve helped advance a proposal for ultimately anchoring the integrated ground transportation network with a regional transit centre at the airport, provisionally known as Union Station West.

Efficient transit connections to and from Toronto Pearson are critical for all regional economic zones.

The formal partnership between the GTAA and Metrolinx dates from April 2018, when we announced a joint program to improve transit access to Toronto Pearson while exploring better ways to connect the Airport Employment Zone (AEZ) and our surrounding communities, as well as light rail and bus networks serving commuters throughout the western GTHA. We invested an initial $38 million toward this collaborative effort, which is also exploring a potential expansion of GO train service along the vital innovation corridor between Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo. Then in November 2019, we announced that the GTAA would provide a further $40 million to advance technical work on extending the Eglinton Crosstown West light rail line onto the airport property. (Clearly, the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic makes it necessary to revisit how quickly investment can proceed in this area; but helping to create a more efficient and sustainable regional transit network remains a strategic priority.)

For the Government of Ontario, our collaboration with Metrolinx supports a broader commitment to improving transit infrastructure across the region. “We welcome the GTAA’s multi-million-dollar investment to help connect the Eglinton Crosstown West Subway Extension to Toronto Pearson Airport,” said Premier Doug Ford, speaking at the announcement event. “This is another clear example of how our government is strengthening partnerships to build more transit, spurring economic growth and creating jobs throughout the region.”

The impacts of connectivity

Coinciding with the November 2019 announcement, the GTAA released a whitepaper – prepared in collaboration with Urban Strategies Inc. – entitled Union Station West: The second transit hub we need to keep the region moving. It details the many advantages that an integrated transit centre at Toronto Pearson would deliver to neighbouring communities. Developed through discussions with a wide array of stakeholders – across the AEZ, in other key regional employment zones and at economically significant airports around Southern Ontario – the report explores the various dimensions of connectivity and their potential impact on economic growth. Among its key findings:

• The region’s existing “radial” transit system (with spokes radiating from a single hub, Union Station in downtown Toronto) cannot adequately support connections among key economic and employment centres across the GTHA.
• Municipal borders are meaningless for the workers, students and local residents who depend on public transit and currently must deal with unintegrated fares and uncoordinated transfers as they cross multiple jurisdictions.
• People who work in the AEZ need safe, efficient “last-mile” transit solutions that reflect the 24/7 nature of the area’s business activities.
• The movement of goods on Southern Ontario roads is bogged down by intense congestion, which leads to lower productivity (at an estimated cost of $6 billion annually), reduced profitability for businesses and higher prices for consumers.
• Coordinated ground connections among Southern Ontario airports would provide more convenient and efficient air travel options.
• Efficient transit connections to and from Toronto Pearson are critical for all regional economic zones.

Moving into the future

At leading global airports like London Heathrow and Amsterdam Schiphol, more than 35 per cent of travellers take advantage of integrated transit and rail connections. At Toronto Pearson, even with the success of the UP Express rail link to the heart of the city, only about 13 per cent of people travelling to and from the airport (largely passengers and Pearson employees) use any form of public transit. Instead, they join other drivers in contending with the worst traffic congestion in North America and some of the longest commuting times in the world. And the situation is only going to get worse, as more than 2.5 million additional residents are expected to move into our region over the next decade.

Maintaining efficient operations at Toronto Pearson – and even more crucially, ensuring optimum productivity in the important economic zone around our airport – depends on the timely, reliable movement of people, both passengers and local workers. Pearson also plays an increasingly important role in expediting cargo to and from every corner of the globe.

This is the real impact of our transit ambition: not simply to improve access to our airport, but to get the entire region moving better. Freer-flowing roads will mean increased economic activity, easier access to jobs, lower carbon emissions and a better quality of life for millions of commuters – along with the many businesspeople, tourists and other visitors who contribute to the vitality of our region.

Constantly improving connectivity is core to Toronto Pearson’s purpose as a global hub. We have a responsibility not only to connect Canada to the world, but also to help ensure more efficient, integrated transportation networks throughout the fast-growing region on our doorstep.