Mississauga has Ottawa’s support in fight to bring transit loop to Square One area residents
Published December 8, 2021 at 2:48 pm
The City of Mississauga has at least one ally in high places as it pushes the Ontario government to reinstate what was once a key part of the massive Hurontario light rail transit (LRT) project.
Federal Transport Minister and Mississauga Centre MP Omar Alghabra said while the huge Mississauga/Brampton infrastructure project is a provincial government undertaking, he’d fully support a reintroduction of the City Centre loop into the plan.
The loop, which was initially included in Hurontario LRT plans to service residents/passengers who live in the highrises around Square One, was pulled off the table two years ago by the Ontario government in a cost-cutting move.
Mayor Bonnie Crombie and City councillors have been pressing the Province ever since to reconsider, arguing the area’s population is growing quickly and will need convenient transit service.
Late yesterday in an Instagram interview with insauga.com publisher Khaled Iwamura, Alghabra didn’t hesitate in offering Ottawa’s support—both financial and otherwise—for the City Centre loop.
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“I publicly offered to the Province of Ontario to partner with them to reinstate the loop and we’ve yet to hear from the Province their willingness to do so,” he said. “I hope they reconsider that decision because…that loop would be an important element and I hope the provincial government reconsiders that cancellation.”
Alghabra added that if Ontario does reconsider the loop, “I can assure you I and the federal government will be there to work with them on reinstating it.”
The 18-kilometre LRT route, which is to be completed by fall 2024, will move passengers from Port Credit GO station in the south to Brampton in the north, with 19 stops along the way.
When completed, it will offer a dedicated right-of-way running from south Mississauga to Brampton Gateway Terminal. It will link to GO stations at Port Credit and Cooksville, the Mississauga Transitway, Square One GO Bus Terminal, Brampton Gateway Terminal, and key MiWay and Brampton Transit routes.
The initiative is part of Metrolinx’s long-term vision for an integrated, sustainable transit network connecting the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas.
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