We’re getting closer to having two-way all-day GO service locally.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne was at Vidyard headquarters in Kitchener on Friday afternoon, sharing what she’s calling ‘positive transportation developments’.

She says the Liberal government is moving ahead on GO service and high speed rail – meaning work will continue and in some ways, accelerate now.

“High speed rail is something that has been talked about in this province since the 1970s – but thanks to this budget and our leadership, the talk can turn to action. Over the next three years, we’ll complete the environmental assessments and the related planning and design work. Then, we’ll get to work building high speed rail so that Phase 1 is in service by 2025.”

Wynne says of course – the best time to build this was 30 years ago.

“But the second best time to build it, is right now. So that’s why we’re doing it, because I can’t go back 30 years. The business-case has also evolved, so we are taking this leap forward today.”

Wynne also announced the next steps the government is taking when it comes to delivering two-way all-day GO train service to Kitchener by 2024.

“That’s something that has been underway, and we’re taking the next steps. So we’re moving ahead with two environmental assessments that are required to provide faster electrified two-way all-day train service on the Kitchener line. One EA is to provide electrified service between Georgetown and Kitchener, while the other EA is the next step for a freight bypass to provide unrestricted rail access for passenger trains between Toronto and Kitchener.”

More comments from Ontario Premier on high speed rail @570NEWS pic.twitter.com/6E8PKzX271 — Erin Anderson (@erinbailey_a) April 6, 2018

As part of this EA phase, Ontario is working with the Greater Toronto Airport Authority to explore options to connect service on the Kitchener GO line to the proposed transit hub at Toronto’s Pearson Airport. In a release, the Liberals say the major transit hub at Pearson will offer “seamless connections between trains, buses, airplanes, light rail vehicles and high speed rail along the Toronto-Windsor corridor.”

Wynne adds, “these projects are building blocks for future generations.”

Track improvements for two-way all-day GO service between Georgetown and Kitchener will begin in early 2019. The GO Regional Express Rail project is expected to quadruple the number of weekly trips across the GO rail network from 1,500 to nearly 6,000 by 2024.