While council continues to plan and push for the upcoming Hurontario Street light rail transit (HLRT) to extend into downtown Brampton, the provincial government doesn’t have any current plans to fund it.

Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney paid a visit to Brampton on Nov. 12, to speak and answer questions about local transit and transportation infrastructure funding at a Brampton Board of Trade (BBOT) event.

While leaving open the possibility, Mulroney said no extension or funding for it is even on the province’s radar or part of its overall GTA transit plan.

“There is flexibility built into that contract for changes along the way. So, the LRT could be extended further north into Brampton or further south in Mississauga. The loop that de-scoped from the project could one day be done,” she told local business leaders in attendance.

“There is no funding associated with those. We would need to find additional funding and have a new contract,” she added.

Currently, the provincially approved HLRT project will run north-south along Hurontario Street between the Port Credit GO station in Mississauga and the Brampton Gateway Terminal at Steeles Avenue in Brampton.

The City of Brampton has long desired to see that line extend into the downtown core. However, despite her advocacy, the previous council under then mayor Linda Jeffrey turned down full provincial funding for the project in 2015 in favour of exploring alternative routes around Hurontario/Main Street.

The city’s new council under Mayor Patrick Brown, which took office at the end of 2018, voted unanimously to move back to the original proposed route on Hurontario/Main Street in addition to a possible tunnel.

During the Nov. 12 BBOT event, Mulroney was asked what council had to do in order to secure funding for the new plan.

“I would encourage Brampton to put its business case together. I know other municipalities are doing the same thing for elements of their transit projects that they would like to see developed further,” she said.