Each LRT train will carry 336 people when major line opens in Mississauga and Brampton

It’ll be at least another two years before the $4.6-billion Hazel McCallion light-rail transit line opens to passengers in Mississauga and Brampton, but the first fully electric trains are already in town.

In fact, one of the LRT vehicles has already taken a short test trip under its own power, project leaders in charge of the massive Mississauga-to-Brampton transit initiative noted recently.

Metrolinx, the provincial agency overseeing the Hazel McCallion Line, said on Monday the first trains arrived in the spring at the operations, maintenance and storage facility, the hub — aka “nerve centre” — of the 18-kilometre route that’ll follow tracks laid down on Hurontario Street in both Peel cities.

The huge facility, located just south of Highway 407 on the Mississauga-Brampton border, will house a repair shop, a vehicle cleaning facility and material storage space and will be able to accommodate 42 light-rail vehicles at a time.

Train runs under own power for first time

The provincial agency said the OMSF recently “energized its outdoor rail yard’s overhead catenary system. This move allowed a Hazel McCallion Line light-rail vehicle to operate under its own power for the very first time.

“This important step paves the way for future vehicle testing on the line,” Metrolinx added.

Speaking of the LRT vehicles, each train measures 48 metres in length and 2.8 metres wide, the transit agency said in a short video posted to social media on Monday (see below).

Each vehicle seats 120 riders with standing room for 216 more — meaning as many as 336 passengers can ride in a single train.

It’s electric! ⚡️

The operations, maintenance, and storage facility (OMSF) recently energized its outdoor rail yard’s overhead catenary system. This move allowed a Hazel McCallion Line light rail vehicle to operate under its own power for the very first time! pic.twitter.com/Xg7LKBFB2Q

— Metrolinx (@Metrolinx) June 29, 2026

Under construction since 2020, the Hazel McCallion Line is expected to begin operating sometime in 2028 and welcome roughly 32 million passengers annually three years after that.

At a closed-door meeting with City of Mississauga officials on April 22, Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay and other agency brass brought the mayor, councillors and senior municipal staff up to speed on the latest developments related to the major infrastructure project — and when it might be completed.

Mississauga officials, who’ve long expressed frustration at project delays they say are hurting businesses and testing drivers’ patience daily, were pushing for and eager to receive any update at all from the provincial agency.

In an interview with INsauga.com in May, Mayor Carolyn Parrish said she and other city officials were told by Metrolinx the Hazel McCallion Line would be ready in 2028 to take its first passengers.

Hazel McCallion Line was initially to open in 2024

The new LRT line, which when completed will whisk riders from Port Credit GO station in south Mississauga north into Brampton along Hurontario Street, was initially to open in fall 2024.

However, the project has encountered various delays since that date was set.

Another view of a Hazel McCallion Line train. (Photo: From Metrolinx video)

When it opens to passengers, the Hazel McCallion Line will feature more than 20 stops along the route, including several in Mississauga’s downtown core by Square One. Metrolinx received the go-ahead from the province in February 2024 to extend the LRT line by three or four kilometres into downtown Brampton and reintroduce the “downtown loop” to the City Centre area of Mississauga. The latter component will add several stops to the route.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said earlier this year that extending the $4.6-billion Hazel McCallion Line from Hurontario Street into the busy and fast-growing downtown core of Mississauga will cost another $1.6 billion — the construction tab to be picked up by the provincial government.