Report 2025-16 Cambridge to Union Passenger Rail Connection Initial Business Case and Concept Design be received. That Mayor Guthrie submit a letter to Metrolinx…

16:57It's an initial business case and concept design

17:01And so we have some staff coming on down here

17:10Terry and Steve welcome, and I think you'll introduce our guests from Waterloo. I guess a region so thank you for coming

17:18Steve I will turn it over to you

17:22Okay, thank you

17:24Good afternoon mayor Guthrie and members of council

17:27Excited to be here with you today with Orianna

17:32Aguas

17:33Sorry, I practiced

17:36She's a project manager on the planning team from the region of Waterloo

17:40Today we're presenting to you the findings of the initial business case

17:44Completed by the region for connecting Cambridge to Toronto with passenger rail through Guelph a

17:50Quick history lesson. It was 1959 the last time there was train service between

17:56Cambridge and Guelph well it wasn't Cambridge back then and the area now known as Cambridge Rache had any passenger rail service in

18:031971 so it's easy to understand why they're looking into this in

18:082009 staff from the region began studying the reintroduction of passenger rail service

18:14Extending go passenger service from Milton has significant implementation barriers with the track being owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway

18:23Regional staff have been engaged with Guelph since 2019 on a proposal to use CN's lightly

18:31Used freight track between Preston and Guelph

18:35Connecting to the Metrolinx main line at Alma Street

18:39This proposal does not include any additional stations in Guelph nor does it trigger any grade separations

18:46Along the corridor within our city limits

18:49The proposed rail service introduction between Cambridge and Guelph aligns with the city's transportation master plan

18:56Guelph transits future ready action plan and our

19:012024 to 2027 Guelph strategic plan future ready by supporting the building of a

19:08Transportation system that works for everyone in our community and offers a variety of travel options to suit different needs and abilities

19:16This initial business case received approval from the region of Waterloo Council on August 2024 and

19:22Since that time staff from the region have been seeking support from the municipalities along the proposed route a

19:29Resolution from that August 2024 regional council meeting was for municipalities along the proposed route to offer a letter of support

19:36Of the initial business case to Metrolinx to consider for future provincial funding

19:43With that in mind, I'm pleased to introduce Orianna project manager for this business case to

19:49Present more information on it and we'll be pleased to take questions afterwards

19:57Thank you, Steve. Hello everybody. I'm Orianna Aguas from the region of Waterloo

20:01I'm a project manager specifically for the Cambridge to Union passenger go rail service and

20:07Today, I'll just speak to what this work what the results of this work

20:13Steve earlier talked about the history behind this project and the reasoning why we chose to

20:19Study further the alignment through Guelph to the kitchen or go line and then to Toronto

20:25So that is what we did in the IBC between last year and the end

20:29between 2023 and 2024

20:32This project aligns very much with our strategic plan for the region of Waterloo 2023 to 2027

20:41It aligns with all the pillars we have on the on the screen, but just for an example

20:46For the climate aligned growth. We are specifically trying to foster car alternative options and currently between Guelph and Cambridge

20:55The main the main mode of transportation is the car. So this would be an alternative to that

21:04Why does project in general?

21:06Well, Cambridge is part of one of the largest unserved commuter corridors by go rail

21:11Cambridge residents are four times more likely to travel to commute to Toronto for work than anywhere else in the region in

21:19The region of Waterloo the map here shows

21:23The go the existing go rail network as well as proposed service the proposed services on the dash line

21:30You can also see tables on this map

21:33That show examples of locations with similar or lower current and forecasted populations to Cambridge

21:40That have go train stations already or are planned to have one so we can clearly clearly see that Cambridge is missing a station

21:48For an overview of the service we can see it on the screen, but in Cambridge

21:55There is a new proposed station near the intersection of Pinebush Eagle and Hesbilar and

22:01We refer to this as the Pinebush Pinebush station

22:05At this location there is a key opportunity for a transit oriented community as the existing land use is sown to redevelop

22:12So there is opportunities to develop this around the new transit station

22:16The service would would run hourly or better

22:20And it would take about 15 minutes to wealth

22:23In Guelph I would use the existing station and I would have an

22:27Integrated platform so there is more seamless transfers to the Kitchener goal line in this image

22:35I really like this map because it shows how the new service the proposed service would close that triangle of higher order

22:42transit between Kitchener Cambridge and Guelph and

22:46Also another reason of why the service is good for Guelph and especially is because we found through this work

22:53That there is already an existing market that goes between Cambridge and Guelph that this service would

23:00Directly benefit on the slide we see some highlights of the initial business gates

23:10So for the initial business case we looked at four options in addition to the do nothing or business as usual option and

23:18Some of the options are single track and some of the options are a single track with a siding and this would be too

23:24For increased speeds increased frequency of the trains

23:28The results of the IBC show that the project strongly aligns with existing policy and plans of Cambridge Guelph the region on the province of Ontario

23:37All the options have greater economic benefits to society than economic costs

23:42When you compare that to the no rail service

23:46Beyond the initial capital investment all options require subsidy as operation and maintenance costs are not upset by revenue

23:54For the 60 year life cycle however, this is a typical result for a transit project of this type

24:00they usually require some sort of

24:04Government investment and

24:07Ultimately the

24:08deliverability in operations case found that the project is deliverable and there is no major

24:14stoppers as

24:18Part of the project we use the the project team use different tools to engage the public including in-person meetings

24:24Virtual meetings and then the online survey we had a we had an in-person meeting here in Guelph

24:31Steve also helped with that and

24:33Because of all this outreach the effort resulted in over 600 touch points

24:37So that means we had 600 different ways that the public gave us feedback for this project and

24:44Overall we found the public to be very supportive of this project and was asking us to deliver the project as fast as possible

24:52We found them through the poll that most people would prefer to arrive at the station

24:57Using something other than the car and this was specifically specifically for Cambridge

25:01But in Guelph the station is already in an area where it's easy easily accessible by not only card

25:07But also transit in other modes because it's in downtown Guelph

25:12The public also said that in the meantime because again the public reflected the findings of the IBC

25:19That there is already an existing market between Guelph and

25:22Cambridge that they would like to actually see a bus service before the before there is a service for rail

25:29Again, the public reflected our findings that there is an existing market and there is an existing need between Guelph and Cambridge

25:37Not just Cambridge to Toronto, which is an interesting finding

25:42Some of the concerns the public noted were concerns including congestion and Hesbler

25:47so this is in Cambridge parking noise safety and

25:49In related specifically to the city of Guelph was the transfer so people were concerned about the time it would take to transfer them

25:57But all these could be addressed through proper design timetabling and planning for better local

26:03Transit and active transportation connections and that would be in Cambridge

26:07So the public also suggested more other locations for the station in Cambridge and this is an ongoing

26:15consultation with the public in Cambridge

26:19Right now we are going forward with the Pinebush Pinebush station

26:23But there is future work that may look at all their stations stations as well

26:30So in summary Cambridge is one of the largest commuter communities outside of the GTA that doesn't have a rail service

26:38There's strong alignment with regional plans as well as Steve mentioned the alignment with Guelph plans and policy

26:45It would serve if the proposed service goes forward

26:48It would serve an existing market between Cambridge and Guelph with excellent ridership potential

26:52There's benefit the benefits to the community are larger than the economic costs with reasonable capital costs and

26:59There's overwhelming public support with over 600 engagement points and most of them being

27:05In favor of the project for the next steps Steve already talked about some of them

27:13and the region of Waterloo has already

27:17endorsed the findings of this project and told us to move forward with seeking the endorsement of the

27:23Involved area municipalities including the city of wealth and that's what that's the step that we're at right now

27:29After we're done with this. We're looking to

27:32We're looking at the best way to package all these endorsements from the different area municipalities and send it to Metrolinx so that

27:39We can continue to ask for that support

27:42Thank you

27:48Well, thank you

27:50Thank you very much and

27:53We we appreciate

27:55You know the whole concept and I know that as you said our staff have been kind of working

28:01Alongside and following this for some time now. So it's nice to start to see it in front of us live

28:07I did have a just before the questions start

28:11Councillor Alton and Bousatil were willing to to move in second

28:16This to put on the floor for us for the endorsement and the recommendations in front of us

28:21So I'll do that officially. Thank you

28:24And then is there any questions now at all in regards to this before we look to call the vote?

28:29I'll go all to Gibson and Keaton

28:33Very much mayor Guthrie. I'll quickly explain my comments while I support it

28:38I do think that first of all, it's an incredible

28:41Foundation for reinforcing the need for QA all day go to vote Guelph under the region of Waterloo it

28:48confirms regional transport in region of Waterloo and in Wellington County the economic benefit to Guelph is is fairly obvious

28:56As we move further down the the rail line to to greater community rail transit

29:03There is some potential disadvantage that I would like to ask about and and I believe that's to to mr.

29:10Anderson there is a level crossing at the Lafarge property at Silver Creek and I was wondering if he could please comment on that one

29:25Through the mayor to council at all

29:28Can I just confirm are you speaking of the the crossing that's existing more?

29:34For lack of a better word by the manner

29:37Yes by the manner. Yes, okay

29:42Famous local landmark

29:44In and I guess council in terms of the commenting like the the IBC doesn't identify any need for any grade separations

29:53I'm should the service be funded and introduced

29:57Transport Canada has very clear guidelines on the controls that would be required at the crossing and we would be

30:05implementing what is required from Transport Canada

30:09Based on the combination of vehicles and trains

30:12Thank you. Thank you Gibson, Kate and then or work

30:19Thank you through you mr. Mayor. Thanks for the presentation. It's an interesting business case. I hadn't thought about that before

30:27Can I just ask?

30:29The impetus to go from Cambridge to Guelph and not Cambridge to Milton

30:32Is that is that because the train the go train doesn't run up the run up beside the 401 to Cambridge at this point?

30:39Like it would be a track it would be a brand new track through there

30:42I'm just trying to understand that the commuter the justification for commuter from Cambridge to Union station

30:49Right now. They've only got about a 20 minute drive down to Milton to get on a go train

30:53Which is much faster and fewer stops than the Guelph

30:56To Union station. So I'm just wondering is it is it justified?

31:01Because of the desire to go from Cambridge to Guelph

31:04Or Cambridge to downtown Toronto

31:12So through you mayor

31:15So

31:17And when we were talking about the history we did go back to 2009 when we looked at both options of

31:23Going through Milton and then to Toronto versus Guelph to Toronto and there was some

31:30There were some findings for that from that as the work went forward and especially in the feasibility study that we did in 2021

31:37That found that connecting connecting through wealth is competitive travel times for people in Cambridge

31:44and

31:45competitive to a car and competitive to what the mental

31:50Milton line was showing

31:52but it had the additional benefits of having the

31:56markets before

31:58Before Toronto

32:00So we did see more ridership going to other stations in the kitchen or go line from

32:06Cambridge

32:07Then in the Milton goal line because the mental Milton goal line goes through Miss Saga and then pretty much

32:13Destination would be just Toronto

32:15Whereas in the Guelph line we have other midpoint destinations that would attract more ridership

32:21So there's a better case for that. It also aligns better with the regional policy of having

32:26less longer, you know longer commutes and having more compact communities

32:33And also because

32:35The feasibility study did talk about that market that already exists between wealth and Cambridge

32:40That is, you know sufficient ridership enough to support something like this faster

32:47The other thing is that the wealth

32:49option is actually easier to deliver because

32:53In conversations with the rail owners of the lines

32:56The CN has been more

32:58Amiable to our those negotiations

33:01Of course nothing has been sent in stone because everything is still pretty new

33:04And more work needs to be done, but we find that they are more willing to you know, share the track and do things and do different

33:12options if there was a passenger

33:14rail line on the on those

33:17Okay, thank you. Just another follow-up

33:19I haven't ridden the train from Guelph to downtown Toronto in a few years

33:22But when I did I remember there being only three trains a day there and back was your business case predicated on the all-day two way

33:29like the multiple trips

33:31To and from union from Guelph

33:34I just I want to know because there's there's a train every 25 minutes in Milton to downtown Toronto

33:40So there's a lot more opportunity to miss a train catch a train and so I'm just

33:47I'm just dialoguing with you

33:49But maybe if you could answer that one last one is it is it was the business case predicated on all day two way?

33:54Which we all want

33:56Three mayor. Uh, yes the business case took results from the preliminary design

34:01business case for the extension of the kitchen or goal line for the expansion of the kitchen and goal line

34:06And also just to add a little bit to that

34:09For the Milton line, especially at the time of the feasibility study in 2021

34:13There wasn't a commitment from Metrolinx to expand service and the Milton line is already at capacity

34:19So even though, you know more people coming in from Cambridge would even saturate that more

34:25Okay, so if I'm just clear and I'm going to support it

34:28No questions asked, but well, there are a couple questions asked

34:31But the the business case that you're

34:35Feeding into is predicated on all day two way from wealth

34:39Okay, so the one has to come before the other before before we are competitive with Milton's

34:44Train number of trains frequency of trains. We still have to have all the way two way to it. Okay. Um, great. Thanks very much

34:51This is all part of long-term planning. So a nice nice presentation. Thank you

34:57Thanks, Kate and then a look

34:59It's for you, Mr. Mayor

35:01First, I love it. I hear a lot

35:04In the online mom groups about people wanting to be able to go back and forth to Cambridge

35:08And just do their shopping and whatnot with their kids and finding it kind of impossible without a car

35:15But I was wondering if you had looked into

35:18How this benefits the healthcare network because we have a lot of specialists that are in Cambridge

35:23And because we don't have them we're not kind of big enough to have every type of doctor locally

35:29Um

35:31In any kind of studies on how this connects

35:33The the healthcare networks between us and the other cities

35:40Through you, mayor, we haven't looked at that

35:43But that would be a possibility that you could add in a future business case to the external

35:48Uh benefits when you're looking at economic costs versus economic benefits. So far we haven't done that work yet

35:56Thank you very much

36:00And oh rork, thank you

36:02Thank you, mayor Guthrie through you to uh, um, miss Aguas a really exciting case study

36:09I just want to confirm so if I've understood the report correctly the land is already

36:15Owned by another railway, right? So it's about sharing an existing rail bed. So though there's no land acquisition

36:21There's not necessarily environmental assessments that need to happen like this

36:25This could happen because we are maximizing the use of an existing rail lines. That correct

36:31So the real three you may or the rail line does exist already

36:36So it does need some upgrades. So there there's investment needed for that

36:41There's also at this point we are looking at, you know, the short to medium term being functional with a single track

36:48But then if you want if you you know, if you want to expand in the future for longer term future

36:53Horizons, there might be the need for a second track at that point. You might be looking at

36:58Aquaring line, but that is again like

37:01We haven't done enough work to understand those what those impacts are in terms of environmental assessments

37:08typically if there is any

37:11Any changes to roads crossings there has to be an environmental assessment

37:16so for

37:17inside of well city of wealth

37:20As Steve said we have that's not

37:23something part of as part of this work, but mostly as part of the expansion of the

37:27kitchen or the line expansion

37:31But we do have

37:34Another crossing that may need to be a great separation and that's

37:38Outside of the city of wealth and that would need an EA

37:41But again, the work is still too early to know exactly what the impacts are and what is needed

37:46We need another set of business cases

37:49Well, thank you. And I asked the question not as an objection as I'm excited because if it was a brand new

37:55Rail line

37:57And you didn't have the land acquisition and you didn't have all those plans then we would be in a completely different scenario

38:02But this is an existing rail line which makes it actually possible, right and beneficial

38:08so

38:09Just want to confirm also through you merga 3 that

38:13That this is an endorsement of the of the case to metro links

38:17And then the financing would happen from metro links. Is that correct?

38:23through you mayor, so

38:26Right now we the region's position is that metro links takes over the rest of the work

38:31Including, you know, when it comes to funding and what avenues that is going to be

38:35so

38:37At like at this point, we don't know what the funding avenue is going to be but it would be metro links, you know

38:44It would be their job to figure that out and that is because

38:48this is an inter regional rail which, you know falls outside of the

38:53City boundaries and also a set of the region boundaries and that's why

38:57The letter of support is to get much links to take up on the work

39:00Perfect through you and mayor guys for my last question

39:04So i'm curious about the potential for a bus

39:08To actually start with that to commute. So what would the timeline be on

39:13On a potential bus connection because I think it'd be really exciting for the University of gulf and for connoisseur college

39:19That's going to have a campus downtown. So

39:22I'm sure that's already part of the business case as well

39:25So what's the timeline on the bus and then what are the next steps after you have the endorsements of all the

39:31the adjoining municipalities

39:36Through you mayor for the timeline of the bus. This is again metro links's work

39:40Because metro links is the one that decides where go buses what new go routes go

39:46So as part of the work we are doing as the region is

39:50And this endorsement is to package up all the area municipalities endorsement letters and send it to metro links

39:57Talking about the results of the iBC

39:58But also the results of the public engagement that shows that there is a need for a bus there

40:03So that would be another you know section of the ask we have for metro links

40:08So therefore we don't know timelines. It would be

40:11at metro links's, you know

40:15Timeline at that point. Okay. Thanks very much

40:19Thank you, and I have two more

40:22And I'll go with two and then billings

40:27Thank you through you mr. Mayor and to our friend from the region. Welcome to qualf council

40:32I I'm just very curious because at the end of the day for us what matters is just how we communicate some of the potential disruptions to our residents and

40:42And a lot of the work obviously isn't within our jurisdiction, but I'm just very curious

40:47How did you guys curate the four options in front of us?

40:52for the track upgrades

40:55And how did you get to that?

40:57conclusion that

40:59We need this amount of sidings for two trains and

41:03And do you guys anticipate there being any potential work in

41:07Guelph?

41:09Yeah, uh, is there a preliminary role plan that was put together to scope out the locations or

41:16Yeah, I'm just curious. What is the rationale for these options?

41:21Three you may or so the options

41:24Initially in the in the 2021 feasibility study. We looked at options that also had double track through the

41:31through majority of the line

41:34But that initial work showed that you know the double tracking

41:38Had more impedances that would make the project be longer and more costly

41:43So that's why in the initial business case we dropped the double track option with the caveat that you know

41:49In the longer term if we think about expansion that could be a possibility

41:53so

41:54because of that we were left with the options of single track which is

41:58Basically, we were trying to see how

42:02How do we do this to make sure that this project can get in service the fastest?

42:07And so single tracking because it already exists there

42:10It would just be a matter of upgrading the tracking

42:13Is the answer to that as opposed to having to do, you know property acquisition and everything that comes with double track

42:20Um, could you repeat the second part of your question? Sorry? Yeah, um, I'm just curious. Do you know where?

42:28If we just if you decide that we need to go ahead and put in some new sidings

42:33Do you know where those locations would roughly be?

42:36Just based off of the route

42:40Through you mayor the location of the siding is something that we have

42:45noted as needs more work in the initial business case

42:48but

42:49currently it is

42:51for you know for in terms for calculations of time

42:56Of travel time and how long it takes for the initial business case work. It is somewhere outside of

43:02You know it's somewhere near cambridge. So it's outside of the city wealth limits

43:07But it is stated in the initial business case that the location that we used for the travel times

43:13Um calculations is not optimized yet

43:17So more work needs to to do that to make sure that we find the location that make that minimizes travel time

43:24for in the line

43:25So that also gives us the result that in the future when more work is done

43:30You can actually maybe reduce that 15 minute to a little bit less

43:35Because of the location of that siding if it's optimized

43:39So the the sharon says we don't know yet

43:42Okay, no, that's good for us and I and I'm aware of that as well

43:46I just think residents need to be aware in the future when this comes forward that you know, there's adequate consultation

43:54That's being had especially with landowners

43:57Uh, I'm I'm thinking especially along white law road because there's a lot of undeveloped lands there that could be impacted

44:05So it's just speaking to long-term planning here, right? So but thank you. I appreciate this. Yeah

44:13Thank you. And finally we have uh councillor billings

44:17To you worship, um, I just wanted to get back on the car. So whether it's upgrading the track or double track

44:25The thinking is is that that metro links would would pay for that, correct?

44:34three you may or

44:36The funding model is not established yet. So

44:39you know metro links projects

44:42promises projects sometimes have partnerships with

44:45The count the municipalities and the federal government. So at this point, we don't know

44:51But it would be, you know metro links figuring out the funding model

44:59Okay, if I can just add their councillor buildings like the

45:03Initial ask is that the province fund this and the funding is 100 percent through the province

45:09And that's that's what's in the business case. And that's what we're endorsing here. Well, potentially endorsing here today

45:16Um, so I just wanted to to state that there there's no expectation at this point that the city of wealth is going to be opening the wallet

45:23Uh for this project

45:26Okay, so through your worship then from whatever motions from the region

45:31We have what's in front of us for guava. I mean, I'm supportive in principle. I just didn't want any cost to the city

45:37So in any of these motions coming, uh,

45:41Forward that's going to

45:43Be forwarded on to metro links in the province. Is there is it ever stated in there?

45:49At no cost to the region or no cost to the city

45:52Like how like how is that?

45:57Really being communicated because I'm hearing yes, but

46:01So through the mayor to councillor buildings, I think

46:09Um, the key for us with the business case is is the position Steve just articulated in the sense that the expectation is that metro links takes on the cost to provide the

46:17Interregional transportation

46:18I think what we're hearing from our counterparts at the regional war lu is that certainly through the

46:23Course of due diligence and time and process that there are going to be moments in the process

46:28Where there might be things up for negotiation

46:31But that is so far into the future that it's really difficult to comment on that Guelph's position would continue to be

46:37That these are provincial costs

46:39And if there ever was a moment where say a capital improvement was required in Guelph

46:43It would absolutely be brought to council for consideration through a future budget process and for future discussion

46:48So I think that's the most we can offer from a certainty perspective at this time

46:52Other than to say today's endorsement is is in principle behind the concept and behind the concept that the province should pay for it

46:59And that includes your expectation that includes also the the bus service that's being asked for to come first

47:07Through the mayor to councillor buildings. That's correct. Okay. Thank you for your hope

47:12Great and actually my apologies last is a councillor Pusatil. She's volunteering to drive the bus

47:20I am going to drive this

47:22Thank you very much and through the mayor. This is just a very basic question in the proposal. It talks about

47:28utilizing the existing

47:31passenger line rail line between Guelph station and Alma and my question is the line that is the CN line between Alma and Cambridge

47:42All I can say is gauge. Is it the right track or does that track have to change to accommodate

47:48a passenger train versus a freight train?

47:52Through you mayor the track has to be upgraded to accommodate passenger rail

47:58Thank you

47:59Great seeing nothing further

48:08I'll just say ditto to all of my colleagues

48:11And it's already been moved and seconded

48:15A great a great opportunity and a great partnership with with the region and others. So

48:21keep us in the loop and

48:24Hopefully we can see something like this to come to fruition for our communities plural

48:29So, thank you very much. I'll call the vote then as anyone against

48:35Nobody that's unanimous. So put that in your letter to Metrolinx that it was unanimous. Okay, great. Thank you very much

48:43Moving right along

48:46We have a presentation now on 37 Kristi Lane. This is the objection to notice