High Speed Rail: London - Kitchener-Waterloo - Pearson Airport - Toronto

[Tuscani01]

@Haljackey

Exactly what I thought of. An EA and no commitment to actually build anything? The Liberals have real contempt for the people of Southwestern Ontario if they expect people to fall for that again.

Also, looks like they are trying to find a way to roll this into VIA's HFR proposal as I predicted. This way, they don't have to fund anything and can take credit when VIA delivers.

What would they commit to building? The initial study was for feasibility. It appears that the study has been reviewed and the plan has been determined to be feasible. The next step is the EA. There isn't anything to commit to yet beyond the EA.

That being said, I'm willing to bet this will be the first project approved under the Federal Government's new infrastructure bank. It's a perfect example of the type of project which the bank is being set up to fund.

 

[steveintoronto]

That being said, I'm willing to bet this will be the first project approved under the Federal Government's new infrastructure bank. It's a perfect example of the type of project which the bank is being set up to fund.

Let's flip that over for the sake of putting it in a more likely context:

The case could be made for an Infrastructure Bank project. The Devil is in the details, of course, and I can't see a business case showing potential for a return unless the the governments involved hugely fund the capital costs. For HFR, I see it much more do-able, but as it appears before getting the details, they're talking higher speeds than what HFR is projected to be. And that's problematic, as once above 125 mph (200 kph) grade separation becomes mandatory, and costs sky-rocket, and the viability for revenue returns disappears.

I repeat from their own statement to the press:

The Ontario government would seek out private financing and private partners while working with VIA and Metrolinx.

I don't see it, unless they abandon the "High Speed Rail" aspect, and talk sensibly as "HFR" or "Higher Speed Rail".

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Election time, always fun to watch. In Ontario, trains do not carry riders. They carry ridings.

Heh. I'm stealing that.

 

[Automation Gallery]

The key stop on the route is KW not Windsor. It's Canada's premier technology hub. Toronto and KW are far stronger together and HSR between the 2 will help the tech industry in both prosper. .

True, but then again don't forget Windsor is the gateway to Ontario from Michigan for the much needed tourism money

 

[TOareaFan]

Actually it isn't a bad idea especially considering the state of the economy for these smaller cities.

AoD

not sure how having people live there and work elsewhere is a boost to their economy per se....but my point was this is supposed to be the anti-sprawl government....no?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

not sure how having people live there and work elsewhere is a boost to their economy per se....but my point was this is supposed to be the anti-sprawl government....no?

Anti-sprawl within the context of the growth boundary, perhaps.

AoD

 

[waterloowarrior]

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/publications/high-speed-rail-in-ontario-final-report/

 

[waterloowarrior]

Average speed about 150 km/hr..part of the case in the report to have 250 km/hr recommended over 300 km/hr max speed is that many of the stations are close enough together that you can't travel at 300 km/hr for very long to make a major difference in time savings.

 

[waterloowarrior]

 

[steveintoronto]

"but the results and an analysis of international experience both indicated that deciding on a specific model at this point in the project would be premature."

Ya think?

 

[Edward Skira]

News Release

Bringing High Speed Rail to the Toronto-Windsor Corridor
May 19, 2017

Project will Connect People and Create Good Jobs
High speed rail cuts down on travel times, gives people more low-carbon transportation options, and creates new opportunities for workers and businesses. Ontario is supporting economic growth in Southwestern Ontario and across the province by moving forward with high speed rail along the Toronto-Windsor corridor, becoming the first province to undertake a rail transformation of this magnitude.

Premier Kathleen Wynne, Steven Del Duca, Ontario's Minister of Transportation, and Deb Matthews, MPP for London North Centre, were in London today to announce that the province is moving ahead with preliminary design work on the project and investing $15 million in a comprehensive environmental assessment. Ontario will establish a new governing body to oversee the ambitious work required to design and implement high speed rail.

The announcement comes as the province releases a new report by David Collenette, Ontario's Special Advisor on high speed rail. In 2015, Mr. Collenette was asked to assess the project's feasibility. After extensive consultations, his report has concluded that there is a business case for high speed rail along the Toronto-Windsor corridor and that there are opportunities to engage the private sector in financing and delivering the project.

High speed rail could cut travel times between Toronto and Windsor from four hours to just over two. With high speed rail expanding Ontario's innovation supercorridor to Windsor, businesses will be able to attract the best talent, increase their productivity and support a low-carbon innovation economy.

Investing in high speed rail is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.


QUICK FACTS

• Trains on high speed rails would move at speeds of up to 250 kilometres per hour using a combination of existing track and new, dedicated rail corridors.
• A request for bids for the design required to support the Environmental Assessment for the full length of the Toronto-Windsor corridor will be issued this fall.
• Proposed stops on the new HSR line include Windsor, Chatham, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and Toronto, with a connection to Pearson International Airport.
• Ontario will continue to engage with private and public partners, including Indigenous communities and municipalities, while the environmental assessment, design work and ridership forecasting are completed.
• The Honourable David Collenette, a former federal Minister of Transport, has significant experience interacting with diverse and influential stakeholders, as well as knowledge of policy and regulatory issues related to the transportation sector. Since his retirement from Parliament in 2004, Mr. Collenette has served as an advisor to many organizations in the defence and transportation industries.

 

[TOareaFan]

Anti-sprawl within the context of the growth boundary, perhaps.

AoD

but if you are going to spend billions with the goal of people leaping over the boundry....what impact does the boundry really have?

 

[steveintoronto]

but if you are going to spend billions with the goal of people leaping over the boundry....what impact does the boundry really have?

Do France and Japan suffer from "sprawl" as a result of their HSR? Quite the opposite.

 

[Eug]

I would really wish they begun with Toronto-Ottawa-Montral corridor.

Me too.

However, I'd prefer to have a direct Toronto - Montreal line available actually.

 

[WislaHD]

No mention of fare-pricing anywhere in the report, when we know how senesitive commuter-style travel behaviour is to travel pricing. We also know that large amounts of people aren't travelling along the Windsor-Toronto corridor for pleasure, so commuter-style travel behaviour is what we are looking to accomplish here. I'm not too impressed of the cited maximum speeds of 300km/h, I don't think that is enough to make the service worthwhile for commuting.

If you ask me, this just seems like a rail fantasy map commissioned by the Ontario government chasing David Collenette's HSR delusions. The only thing they got figured out is the alignment. The report fails to provide a convincing business case for HSR on the Windsor-Toronto corridor.