A world class city with a crappy transit system. Trying to play catch-up, they’re now building the most substantial transit upgrades in North America.

It’s one of the most desirable places to live in the world, but their transit system is terrible. In trying to play catch-up, they’re currently building the most substantial city-wide transit upgrades in North America. $50 billion of it. Think it will fall through? Maybe. But they are off to a roaring start (albeit very late). Major projects underway (either under construction or funding approved) will cost over $13.6 billion by the time they are complete. Once done, it won’t come close to European level transit access. Still, it’s impressive when you look at the scale of undertaking.

Summary of Major Toronto Transit Projects Underway right now

High Speed Rail (Airport to Downtown)

The UP Express (Union-Pearson Express) will open in 2015. Just in time for the Pan Am Games in Toronto. It will provide people with high speed train service from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport to Union Station. Every 15 minutes. A connection between the country’s two busiest transportation hubs is long overdue. And now it is one year away from opening.

Union Station (tripling in size)

This station is already one of the busiest in North America accommodating about a quarter-million people per day. That’s more than double that of Chicago’s Union Station. It hosts commuter rail, inter-city rail, the subway line, LRT, bus lines, etc. It also links up to a major underground network of pedestrian walkways an malls. It has been Canada’s busiest transportation hub for a long time. Now it looks like it will only get busier. Only 2 more years.

Rail Rapid Transit (over 50 km new track and 90 stations)

New subway and light rail will finally be going to places it should have been decades ago. Over 50 km of track along with 90-plus stations are being built right now. That is the equivalent of the Buenos Aires Metro. And it’s all being built as we speak. Imagine if they could get their act together with the Bloor-Danforth subway extension.

Bus Rapid Transit (over 50 km of segregated lanes and 50 stations)

Mississauga and York are both in process of constructing major BRT systems for local travel within those areas of the Greater Toronto Area.

Way too late and not enough?

Toronto is bigger than most think. The Greater Golden Horseshoe region that it centers is home to about 9 million people. They have one of the 25 busiest international airports, are a top 10 world financial city, and have A GDP the size of Norway. Not so world class when it comes to getting around the region though. The subway system is accessible to a small portion of the population. And the plethora of agencies can be really confusing for visitors. Despite being the fastest growing urban area in North America, there have been no major expansions over the past decade. And before that, non for almost a half century. While these upgrades are long overdue, the fact so many are happening all at once is impressive. Hopefully it will be enough.

[Key Sources / Literature: Metrolinx, Viva, GO Transit, UP Express]