Some GO train service to be cancelled this week in Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton and Niagara

Mississauga | Brampton | Burlington | Halton | Hamilton | Niagara | Niagara Falls | Oakville | Ontario | St Catharines | COVID | Latest News | Transit |

By

Published January 4, 2022 at 12:22 pm

A number of scheduled GO train trips along the Lakeshore West line in Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton and Niagara will be cancelled this week due to COVID-19-related staff shortages.

Officials with Metrolinx, the agency responsible for regional transit in the Golden Horseshoe, say commuters in those areas and across the GO train service area in the GTA should check schedules closely this week and next to ensure their train is running.

GO Transit had to cancel at least 10 morning train trips to Union Station in Toronto today and the cancellations will reportedly continue until Sunday.

As of next Monday (Jan. 10), service will be reduced in response to the GO staffing shortages.

According to Metrolinx, 10 to 15 per cent of train trips are expected to be cancelled in the coming days. People are reminded to check GO train schedules before leaving home.

The cancellations come amid a dramatic surge in COVID-19 cases among GO staffers brought about largely by the new, highly transmissible Omicron variant.

Metrolinx officials estimate there have been about 100 new cases of the virus among staff in the past few weeks alone. By comparison, there were 185 total cases in the 18 previous months.

Due to quarantine rules, one case of COVID-19 is enough to take a three-person train crew out of service. At least 15 train crews are currently on leave, officials say.

Officials are working on an updated GO transit schedule, which is expected to be released in the next few days.

insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising