Tomorrow’s Metrolinx board of directors meeting could signal significant construction investments in Niagara and Kitchener-Waterloo.

Board members will discuss initial business cases to expand the GO rail service in Kitchener and Niagara in the next five years.

In Kitchener’s case, several community organizations—including the Grand Valley Construction Association—have lobbied extensively to extend the commuter service so that it runs all day to and from the Greater Toronto Area.

Opinion research conducted by the Connect The Corridor lobby group reveals that congestion and delays along the corridor costs Canadian businesses and consumers between $500 and $650 million per year in higher prices for goods. Extended GO Train service could save $20 billion in passenger travel time savings, road maintenance cost avoidance and reduced congestion.

Metrolinx’s recommended business case for extending the service calls for a capital investment of nearly $1 billion. A portion of that funding will likely be used to build a new station near Breslau, across the Grand River from Kitchener and near the Region of Waterloo International Airport. Metrolinx expects ridership to increase to 8.2 million as a result of the extended service.

In Niagara’s case, the proposal is similar. Metrolinx began providing regular weekday rail service to St. Catharines and Niagara Falls in January of this year. The operator expanded year-round service into the weekends in August. It now proposes to offer east- and west-bound service between Union Station and Niagara Falls operating year-round, and two-way all-day GO rail service to the future Confederation GO Station in Stoney Creek/Hamilton and Niagara Falls. The additional service is expected to boost ridership to 1.8 million annually by 2031.

Estimated capital costs for the expansion are around $312 million.