CLARINGTON - Oshawa may be the end of the line for many GO train riders, but for Clarington commuters like Liberal Durham MPP Granville Anderson, it is just one of the hurdles to getting home at the end of a long work day.
The dream of extending the GO train’s Lakeshore East line through central Oshawa into Courtice and Bowmanville may soon turn into reality.
Mr. Anderson said he expects an announcement in the next few weeks from the provincial Liberal government.
“It will happen. This was the only election promise I made,” said Mr. Anderson, after hearing the results of a study showing the potential economic impact of an extension for Durham Region on April 8 at a news conference at Durham College’s Whitby campus.
The analysis suggests the project has the potential to generate $1.1 billion in transit-oriented, walkable urban development that would enable job creation (upwards of 21,000 permanent new jobs), the construction of 6,000 new homes and reduce the amount of CO2 emissions significantly.
“People will get to spend more time with their families if this project is passed,” said Mr. Anderson.
He’s not only eager as a politician to have the project approved but as a commuter as well.
Mr. Anderson travels on the GO train regularly to get to Toronto for question period at Queen’s Park.
“Being late is a reality for commuters,” something he said he can relate with, he said.
Mr. Anderson said he’s had to explain his tardiness on a couple of occasions to fellow MPPs.
“The fact is when you take the GO train there is traffic just getting to the station and then there’s limited parking in Oshawa and Whitby.”
The proposed extension would add four new GO stations: a new station north of Hwy. 401 on Thornton Road South, one just south of downtown Oshawa, one in Courtice, and one in Bowmanville.