MPP Arnott urges Government to follow through on promise for expanded GO Train service
NEWS RELEASE
Ted Arnott, MPP
Wellington-Halton Hills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2016
MPP Arnott urges Government to follow through on promise for
expanded GO Train service
(Queen’s Park) – Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott is continuing to hold the Liberal
Government accountable for its promise to establish all-day, two-way GO Train Service on the
Kitchener Line through Wellington-Halton Hills.
“Working together for almost a decade, we in Wellington-Halton Hills have been actively pushing
for improved GO Train service for the residents of our communities,” Mr. Arnott told MPPs in a
statement in the Ontario Legislature on November 30. “ And we’ve made some significant
progress. The Acton GO Station was re-opened in January 2013, giving our area residents
another access point for commuter rail service into the Greater Toronto Area. Additional new
trains along what we now call the Kitchener Corridor, give our Georgetown area residents
greater flexibility for their daily commute.”
Mr. Arnott again reminded the Liberals that people have not forgotten their promise during the 2014 election campaign to establish all-day, two-way GO Train service between Kitchener and Union Station and expressed disappointment that it was taking so long.
“It was only after the 2014 election was over that the Government admitted that they were
planning to take ten years to keep the commitment to two-way, all-day rail service through
Wellington-Halton Hills from Kitchener to downtown Toronto,” Mr. Arnott pointed out. “This
demonstration of political cynicism was disappointing to say the least, but it only served to
strengthen our resolve.”
Since the election, Mr. Arnott has twice tabled Private Members’ Resolutions in the Legislature
calling on the Government to fulfill its promise.
“As soon as it was possible to do so after the 2014 election, on July 2, I tabled a Private
Member’s Resolution , calling on the Government to immediately move forward to fulfill the their commitment to provide full-day, two-way GO train service on the Kitchener Line between
Waterloo Region and the GTA with stops in Wellington-Halton Hills. It was one of the first
resolutions on the Ontario Legislature’s Order Paper,” Mr. Arnott reminded the Legislature.
“When the new session began in September, I again tabled my Private Member’s Resolution
supporting better GO Train service. It continues to stand out as one of the first resolutions on
the Order Paper.”
Mr. Arnott concluded by urging the Government to move forward with its commitment for
improved GO Train service.
“I call upon the Minister of Transportation to undertake all reasonable efforts to expedite the
prerequisites for improved GO Train service along the Kitchener line, and in doing so, keep the
Government’s promise to our communities,” he said.
Afterwards, Mr. Arnott pointed out that there is strong support for these improvements in
Wellington-Halton Hills.
“Our MP Mike Chong has been very supportive of GO Transit improvements,” he said. “Halton
Regional Council, Wellington County Council, as well as our local Mayors and Councils all have
an interest, and many have publicly expressed strong support.”
Mr. Arnott plans to continue to push the Government to implement all-day, two-way GO Train
service through Wellington-Halton Hills.
“My colleague, Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris, serves as our Ontario PC Critic to the
Minister of Transportation. He has been relentless in holding the Government accountable on
this and many other important transportation matters,” Mr. Arnott said afterwards. “I intend to
continue working with him to hold the Government accountable for its promise.”
– 30 –
Ted Arnott, MPP
Phone: 416-325-3880
Email: ted.arnott@pc.ola.org