First train rolls on $4.6B Hazel McCallion LRT project in Mississauga

A light-rail transit vehicle moved under its own power for the first time last week on the long-delayed Hazel McCallion Line, which is expected to open to Mississauga and Brampton riders in 2028 and welcome some 32 million passengers annually three years after that.

While the milestone doesn’t suggest the $4.6-billion Mississauga-to-Brampton LRT route will soon be completed, project leaders note it is an important development.

Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay said last week that, “for the first time, a vehicle associated with the Hazel McCallion LRT moved under its own power at the maintenance and storage facility.”

Metrolinx is the provincial agency in charge of the massive transit project, described as the largest such initiative in Mississauga’s history.

At a closed-door meeting with City of Mississauga officials on April 22, Lindsay and other Metrolinx 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.

Neither Metrolinx nor the city revealed any details of discussions that took place during the closed session, which was held at Mississauga city hall.

A week or so later, in a post to social media, Lindsay noted the movement on the tracks of an LRT vehicle for the first time. It happened at the line’s Operations, Maintenance and Storage Facility, the “nerve centre” of the Hazel McCallion Line located just south of Highway 407 on the Mississauga-Brampton border.

That facility will serve as the hub of the LRT route, officials have said, noting the huge operations and maintenance site will house a repair shop, vehicle cleaning facility and material storage space. It will be able to accommodate 42 light-rail vehicles at a time.

Continuing, the Metrolinx CEO said last week that in recent months, “we have completed the installation of all Traction Power Substations, we have completed platform bases for 11 stops, we have upgraded storm sewers across the alignment, we have completed the elevated guideway structure at (Highway) 403, we have finished the structural steel works at Port Credit and we have reopened key intersections like Topflight (Drive, in Mississauga).”

(Source: Metrolinx)

Lindsay added that 70 per cent of the track work at intersections for the LRT route has been completed, “with a target to finish all track work this year.”

He also pointed out city officials in both Mississauga and Brampton have helped Metrolinx “explain required disruption to residents as we aim to accelerate completion of construction.”

Also noteworthy is that a potential completion time window for the Hazel McCallion Line, though not specific and not officially revealed by Metrolinx, has been identified.

Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish said in a post to X on Tuesday “2028 is starting to look like a realistic” time window for completion of the huge project.

The 18-kilometre LRT line, which when completed will whisk passengers 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 and Metrolinx has not said when it expects the job to be completed.

Senior city staff, councillors and Parrish have expressed frustration for the better part of the past year with ongoing delays associated with construction of the LRT line.

(Source: City of Mississauga/Metrolinx)

Last September, Parrish described the project as “an incredible mess.” She later told INsauga.com it wouldn’t surprise her if the new LRT route didn’t take its first passengers until 2029.

When it eventually 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.

Progress! Rails appearing along Hurontario. Stations popping up. Trains being tested! 2028 is starting to look like a realistic completion date! Michael Lindsay CEO of Metrolinx inspires confidence as he accelerates production. His presentation to Council was inspirational. pic.twitter.com/LEwQdVtplt

— Mayor Carolyn Parrish (@carolynhparrish) May 5, 2026