A Clarington councillor is today expected to move a resolution formally asking Metrolinx for a clear response and timeline on the restoration of the GO Train Express Service.
Similar calls in the recent past (see below) have been made by other local politicians including the Member of Parliament from Ajax, who had collected 3,000 signatures on a related petition.
Pickering Council, in a letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford on December 29, asked that the provincial government be requested to prioritize the reinstatement of the GO Lakeshore East Express Train service and provide residents of Durham Region with an update on the timeline for resumed service.
It also asked that Metrolinx be invited to present a project update on a return to Express Service timeline and an update on the progress of the Bowmanville extension and its impact on Highway 401 across Durham Region, at a future meeting of Council.
Discontinued in September 2021
The service was discontinued in September 2021 due to Ontario Line and East Harbour transit hub construction, which forced the third track to be take out as a bypass for the service. It was scheduled to return in August 2024. Metrolinx, the operator of GO, has not been forthcoming on any firm timeline, despite requests.
Metrolinx had scheduled a train every 15 minutes on Lakeshore East, but now Ontario has returned to a full-time office week.
Reliable Transit Isn’t A Luxury
“Reliable transit isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity, said Sami Elhajjeh, Clarington Local Councillor Ward 1. “Thousands of Clarington and Durham residents rely on the GO Train every day to commute to work, school, and essential services, like medical appointments.”
He pointed out that when express GO Train service on the Lakeshore East line was removed, commute times grew longer, trains became more crowded, and reliability suffered — with real impacts on families, students, and our local economy.
“As Clarington continues to grow, our transit infrastructure must keep pace. Efficient, express regional rail service is critical to economic opportunity, transit equity, and quality of life across Durham Region,” the councillor said.
At today’s General Government Committee, he will be tabling a motion (see below) “taking a clear and united stand to formally request the restoration — and potential expansion — of express GO Train service, and to press the province and Metrolinx for a clear response and timeline”.
“Our residents deserve transit that works for them,” he added.
