Building A Transportation Network For A City On The Rise

BUILDING A TRANSPORTATION NETWORK FOR A CITY ON THE RISE

Strategic investments in Brampton’s transit, highways, freight hubs, and active transportation will deliver benefits far beyond the city itself

Jonathan English, PhD

Vijai Kumar Singh

Executive Summary

Brampton is the fastest-growing city in Canada and a critical hub for logistics, manufacturing, technology, and housing development. Its success is of national importance, yet the city’s rapid growth is outpacing its transportation infrastructure. Without decisive investment, Brampton risks worsening congestion, rising emissions, and missed opportunities for economic and housing growth

The benefits are clear:

Supporting economic growth

This white paper outlines how strategic investments in Brampton’s transit, highways, freight hubs, and active transportation will deliver benefits far beyond the city itself

New projects such as the Hurontario LRT extension, GO 2 0 regional rail expansion, and the development of a unified intermodal hub will unlock jobs, attract investment, and strengthen national supply chains. Enhancing links to Pearson International Airport and positioning Brampton within the proposed Alto high-speed rail corridor will connect local workers and businesses to the wider region and global markets

A phased roadmap sets out the path forward:

Short term (1–3 years)

:

Expand Brampton Transit and Züm service, grow micromobility, launch direct Pearson connections, and secure corridor preservation for future projects

Medium term (3–7 years)

:

Deliver the LRT extension, implement station-area redevelopment, advance goods movement initiatives, and complete Highway 410 upgrades

Long term (7–15 years):

Create world-class regional rail across Brampton on the Kitchener GO corridor, secure a role in Alto high-speed rail, develop new transit-oriented communities, and deliver Highway 413 with urban design mitigations.

Job creation, logistics competitiveness, and investment attraction, making Brampton a driver of national prosperity

Improving quality of life

Improved access to education and employment, greater equity and affordability, and safer communities.

Addressing environmental challenges

Reduced congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, expanded active transportation, and climate resilience

Delivering on national and provincial goals

Alignment with Ontario’s housing targets, Goods Movement Strategy, and the federal Public Transit Fund, National Trade Corridors Fund, and climate action commitments.

Brampton’s Growth Brampton’s Growth

Brampton is a city undergoing extraordinary growth. As a vital hub for Canadian manufacturing, technology, and logistics, along with one of the country’s most important sites for new housing development, its success is a matter of national importance. As Mayor Patrick Brown highlighted in his 2025 State of the City Address, Brampton grew by 45,000 people in the previous year alone, making it the fastest growing city in Canada in absolute terms

To sustain this growth and ensure long-term prosperity, Brampton urgently needs top-tier transportation infrastructure to move both people and goods efficiently Freight must be able to reach industrial areas quickly, and workers need reliable access to jobs within Brampton and across the Greater Toronto Area Likewise, Brampton businesses need access to the deepest talent pool possible, which means high-quality cross-regional transportation. Strong connections to Pearson International Airport, Canada’s largest aviation hub, are essential, as is access to CN’s rail intermodal facility, one of the largest in the country.

Investing in Brampton’s transportation system is not just about moving people and goods more efficiently It is about shaping the city’s economic, social, and environmental future Waterloo’s ION LRT shows how transit can catalyze billions of dollars in new investment, and Brampton can expect similar impacts from its LRT and GO expansion projects Upgrades to freight corridors and highways will strengthen Brampton’s role as Canada’s logistics and industrial capital, making supply chains across the country more competitive and reliable Expanded access to education and employment across the GTA will ensure Brampton’s young and diverse population can fully participate in the regional economy. Affordable and safe travel options will also make the city more inclusive. Active transportation and transit improvements will cut congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, following examples such as Montréal’s REV network and Edmonton’s winter cycling program. Brampton’s investments directly support Ontario’s housing targets and Goods Movement Strategy, as well as Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund and climate goals In this way, the city’s priorities clearly advance broader provincial and national objectives while delivering real benefits locally

Brampton already has many ambitious plans underway to improve transportation infrastructure in the city

This alignment matrix shows that Brampton’s transportation priorities are not local wish-lists but essential components of broader provincial and federal agendas Investments in LRT, GO expansion, and active transportation directly advance Ontario’s housing pledge, Goods Movement Strategy, and 2051 transportation plan At the same time, federal programs such as the Public Transit Fund, National Trade Corridors Fund, Housing Accelerator Fund, and Active Transportation Fund are designed to support exactly the kinds of projects Brampton is advancing By situating its projects within these higher-order mandates, Brampton demonstrates that funding here will not only meet local needs but also deliver on Ontario’s and Canada’s commitments to housing, trade, climate action, and inclusive growth.

Priority

Hazel McCallion LRT Extension to Downtown & Bramalea GO

Council Vision (Brampton)

Provincial Mandate (Ontario)

Federal Path Forward (Canada)

Unlock downtown mobility, catalyze TOD, and connect youth to education/jobs

Supports regional connectivity, housing targets, and addressing congestion

Aligns with federal climate action goals, Public Transit Fund, housing growth, and infrastructure funding priorities

GO 2.0 (Kitchener Line Expansion)

Position Brampton as a regional rail hub with two-way, all-day, frequent service, create an express cross-city route

Supports 1 5M housing target, integrates with GTA West Corridor, and advances regional connectivity.

Supports federal Public Transit Fund, Trade Corridors Fund, and national emissions reduction targets.

Supporting Freight and Intermodal Service

Enable Brampton’s logistics sector, create 10,000+ direct and indirect jobs, expand tax base

Aligns with Ontario’s Goods Movement Strategy and provincial trade corridor priorities (407, 410, 413)

Fits Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund, supports supply chain resilience, and advances Canada’s Trade and Transportation Corridors Initiative

Alto High-Speed Rail Connectivity (Kitchener–London–Toronto)

Active Transportation Network (Cycling, Trails, Safe Streets)

Anchor Brampton as a key station node feeding Canada’s first HSR corridor, improve national access to Brampton, enhance youth/student mobility

Advances Ontario’s vision for regional rail expansion and Western GTA mobility.

Aligns with federal HSR commitments including recent election platform, Canada’s climate and housing goals, reduces domestic air travel emissions, and frees up airport capacity for improved international connectivity

Regional Bus Rapid Transit (Queen Street–Highway 7, Steeles, Airport Road)

Provide youth and families safe, affordable travel options; build healthier communities

Supports Ontario’s Active Transportation Strategy and Complete Streets policies

Aligns with Canada’s Active Transportation Fund, climate action, and federal health/wellbeing objectives

Expand Züm network, improve reliability and speed of already-busy routes, connect to LRT and GO stations, enhance equity in mobility.

Supports Ontario’s regional transit priorities and housing pledge through corridor intensification.

Eligible for Public Transit Fund support; aligns with federal climate targets and Housing Accelerator Fund by enabling TOD.

A Roadmap for Success

Short Term (1–3 years):

Expand Brampton Transit service frequency on major routes and add 24-hour service on Züm corridors

Grow the shared e-scooter and cycling programs, closing gaps in the active transportation network.

Begin corridor preservation for transit projects, including Queen Street, Orangeville-Brampton rail alignment, fourtrack GO corridor, and potentially Main Street North

Advance early-stage design and cost optimization for the Hurontario-Main LRT extension to downtown Brampton

Launch direct express bus connections to Pearson Airport and pilot a shuttle from Malton GO to the terminals

Work with Metrolinx to secure four-track expansion through downtown Brampton as part of GO 2.0.

Launch express buses from Mount Pleasant and Brampton

Innovation District to Bramalea station to meet GO trains that terminate at Bramalea Plan and create partnerships for development of transitoriented mixed-use communities in the Downtown Innovation District, Steeles corridor, and Bramalea

Medium Term (3–7 years):

Deliver Züm expansion on corridors such as Chinguacousy Road and strengthen integration with MiWay, YRT, and GO Transit

Implement major pedestrian realm upgrades in employment districts, with direct walking routes to bus stops, wider sidewalks, and improved winter maintenance

Complete construction of the Hurontario LRT extension into downtown Brampton, with measures in place to support affected businesses during construction.

Begin station-area redevelopment and mixed-use intensification at Downtown Brampton, Steeles/Main, and Bramalea, linking transit to new housing and job growth

Deliver Highway 410 widening and explore partnerships for enhancing goods movement on Highway 407

Explore opportunities to add Bramalea Road eastbound 407 offramp in partnership with 407 ETR.

Invest in advanced traffic management tools to mitigate congestion on Brampton’s roads wherever possible.

A Roadmap for Success

Long Term (7–15 years):

Deliver a world-class regional rail service for Brampton on GO’s Kitchener corridor through GO 2.0, with bidirectional, all-day service at least every fifteen minutes and seamless fare integration

Extend the LRT north from downtown Brampton, potentially reusing the Orangeville-Brampton rail corridor

Examine operating the Orangeville-Brampton Railway corridor as a branch of a regional rail line on GO’s Milton Corridor, which would be converted to a full regional rail corridor as part of the GO 2 0 project

Advance Brampton’s inclusion as a station in the ALTO High-Speed Rail project, linking Pearson and downtown Brampton to Kitchener, London, and Toronto.

Develop full transit-oriented mixed-use communities in the Downtown Innovation District, Steeles corridor, and Bramalea, delivering a blend of housing, jobs, services, and major institutions.

Deliver additional highway upgrades such as Highway 413, including highway design mitigations (such as green decks over Highway 413 in Heritage Heights) to support walkable communities

Develop a world-class mixed-use transit-oriented community in Heritage Heights, modeled on international “new towns” centred on rail stations

Transit Service Levels

AMrunsperhourinbothdirections

Brampton enjoys a comprehensive network of frequent transit service routes on major roads, though there is still room for more service in many parts of the community where a bus may only come a couple times per hour. The biggest ridership gains come when service is about every 15 minutes, which means riders feel they can “turn up and go” without needing to check a schedule and a missed connection is not a big problem

Brampton: A Globally Recognized Transit Success Story

The next several decades of Brampton’s economic success will hinge in large part on the quality of its infrastructure. Fortunately, the city has already been internationally recognized as a success story in public transportation, increasing its ridership by an unprecedented 288% between 2004 and 2018 [1]

Brampton made a conscious decision to improve its transit service over the past several decades, and it has clearly shown that service improvements create demand induced demand is not just about highways When transit service is more attractive, people will choose to ride

With a population of 800,000[2], Brampton now sees approximately 226,500 daily bus riders. To put this in perspective, Orange County, California a sprawling suburban region with 3.2 million people has only 112,000 daily bus riders. The Pace network in suburban Chicago, serving 5.7 million residents, records just 56,900 daily riders. Brampton stands out not only for its performance, but for achieving this growth in a fiscally responsible way.[3]

Rather than investing up front in capital-intensive projects like LRT or BRT, Brampton built ridership first by establishing a reliable grid of frequent all-day bus routes This was covered entirely out of the municipal budget and the growth in fare revenue generated by increased ridership. The busiest routes were upgraded to Züm status, with upgraded buses and shelters as well as limited transit priority measures. By ensuring that people can get from anywhere to anywhere in the city at any time of day, transit has become a viable option for all sorts of trips, including to destinations like single-family suburbs and sprawling industrial areas that have traditionally been considered challenging to serve by transit The busy bus stops outside distribution centres or along suburban roads across Brampton prove that it’s possible for transit to be viable anywhere

Brampton Transit Ridership has already far exceeded pre-pandemic levels while other systems, like TTC, remain stuck below 2019 ridership

Now that a strong base of ridership has been developed in a very fiscally responsible way, it is time for new infrastructure

The forthcoming underground LRT extension from the first-phase terminus at Steeles and Main to downtown Brampton will be a transformative investment, placing the city firmly in the transit "big leagues " GO Transit’s Kitchener Line, which crosses the city from east to west including three stations in Brampton, with a fourth station proposed to serve the new Heritage Heights development area, is expected to see significant service improvements through future two-way, all-day rail. Done right, this would make it a rapid transit backbone that would help people travel quickly both within the city and to the rest of the GTA.

The city has also made strides in active transportation Brampton has been a regional leader in legalizing and encouraging shared micromobility options like scooters, while it is also planning to make the city safer for cyclists At the same time, new investments in the road network including a possible partnership with Highway 407 ETR, as referenced by Premier Doug Ford at a recent Brampton Board of Trade event could further mitigate congestion and improve goods movement

Yet even with this success, more investment is needed. Brampton’s roads remain congested, buses are crowded, and cross-city travel still takes too long. Congestion in the GTA is a well-documented economic drag. The Toronto Region Board of Trade has estimated that regional congestion costs the economy and society of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area an estimated $44 7 billion annually [4]

Brampton has notably high usage of transit for a 905 municipality, though there is still more room for growth when compared with adjacent suburban parts of Toronto. More frequent, reliable, and fast service can attract even more riders to transit.

This white paper provides a comprehensive assessment of Brampton’s transportation needs and identifies the investments and strategies required to support the city’s future It will:

Examine Brampton Transit in greater detail and explore how to further expand ridership while reducing congestion and improving environmental outcomes;

Explore opportunities to expand GO rail service and use the GO corridor as a rapid transit backbone within Brampton and across the region;

Review the upcoming LRT project, with a focus on cost-effectiveness and urban compatibility in downtown Brampton;

Evaluate the city’s highway network and how to improve it while maintaining high-quality, livable neighborhoods;

Analyze opportunities for growth in active transportation and micromobility, including walking, cycling, and scooters;

Explore how to better integrate land use and transportation, creating neighborhoods that offer attractive, multimodal travel options;

Examine Brampton’s relationship with Pearson International Airport and how to better link the city with this vital economic engine;

Consider why infrastructure costs in Brampton are so high, and what can be done to control them;

And finally, identify long-term opportunities to guide Brampton’s next wave of infrastructure investment.

Brampton is already building an impressive array of transportation infrastructure But with the pace of growth the city is experiencing, it is essential to look ahead proactively and strategically so that the infrastructure we build today positions the city for success tomorrow

Brampton Transit is one of the city’s great success stories Today, nearly every major street in the city is served by a bus route, most with service every 30 minutes or better and, in many cases, significantly more frequently The busiest corridors enjoy both local and express service through the Züm network, making Brampton one of the few Canadian suburban municipalities with city-wide frequent transit coverage

Still, there are important gaps. Travel times across the city remain long; it can take an hour or more to go from one end of the city to the other while journeys to other cities can take even longer. And while 30-minute frequencies are much better than hourly or worse, as is common in most American cities, they are still a bare minimum service level and one far too infrequent for people waiting on wintry suburban corners Brampton Transit has already proven that modest service improvements can yield major ridership gains Now is the time to take the next step and transform Brampton Transit into a truly attractive, reliable, and city-shaping service

This is also an opportunity for the province to step in and support a major transit success story that has been delivered for a very reasonable cost to taxpayers. Dedicated funding for service improvements could avoid older approaches of simply covering deficits while ensuring that benefits flow directly to transit riders and to congestion reduction Funding service improvements is a great way to deliver immediate tangible benefits while we wait for valuable capital projects to be completed Other approaches to support ridership growth without direct operating support include funding for projects like new bus acquisition, bus overhaul, and bus garage capacity expansion B r a m p t o n T r a n s i t

Expanding the Züm Network

Brampton Transit has announced plans to expand its Züm network with additional routes, the first of which will be on Chinguacousy Road The ultimate goal should be to offer Züm-standard service frequent, reliable, and high-capacity on all major arterial roads across Brampton

Expanding this network will not only improve transit access across the city but also create a strong foundation for modal shift away from cars. Better frequencies ideally every 10 to 15 minutes should be the norm on key corridors, and weekend and evening service must also improve.

While Züm buses offer a superior experience, overall travel speeds remain a challenge A trip from one end of the city to the other can still take over an hour while trips to places like southern Mississauga can take even longer. Riders transferring between two or more buses can find their total commute bordering on unreasonable, a problem that hits hardest for lowerincome shift workers

To address this, Brampton must take serious steps to increase average transit speeds Frequency is one part of the equation, since it means less time standing waiting at the stop, but the other is priority: buses need to move faster through traffic.

Some routes already benefit from limited traffic signal priority, but that alone is not enough when buses are stuck in the same congestion as cars

Explainer: What is Transit Signal Priority?

Transit Signal Priority (TSP) is a traffic management tool that gives buses and streetcars a small advantage at intersections, helping them move more quickly and reliably through congested corridors Unlike full transit-only lanes, TSP does not remove capacity from cars Instead, it works by slightly adjusting traffic signals in real time for example, by extending a green light so a bus can clear the intersection or by shortening a red light to let the bus move sooner

Real improvements will come from expanding dedicated transit infrastructure:

Queue Jump Lanes

at major intersections to allow buses to bypass traffic

Curbside Bus Lanes

as in Toronto’s RapidTO initiative

Dedicated median lanes

like those used by York Region’s Viva BRT

Another viable option is to increase the use of expressways for rapid bus services, especially Highway 407 which is less congested than alternate routes GO buses already make extensive use of Highway 407, providing quick trips from Bramalea to other parts of the region Brampton Transit could also consider using Highway 407 more often for certain express routes across Brampton and to neighbouring municipalities Brampton Transit used to operate a bus service that used the 407 to travel quickly to York University A similar express route to Highway 407 subway station could significantly shorten travel times for Bramptonians to both the university and the subway connection. Brampton businesses have highlighted their desire to recruit from a broader talent pool, including the eastern GTA. More east-west bus links along Highway 407, along with better connections to the TTC subway, can help make that happen.

Typically, highway express buses are considered to have higher costs for agencies than traditional local bus routes This is because the lower turnover of passengers means less fare revenue On a route where the bulk of riders are travelling long distance, however, this calculation can be reversed For example, if large numbers of people are travelling from Brampton to York University and the Line 1 subway, the bus may be largely full before it even enters York Region. This means that turnover will be relatively low anyway, and the longer travel time on the slow route necessitates more buses and more operator hours to serve the same number of people. Waterloo Region provides an excellent example of using express buses to boost ridership on corridors that are going to be upgraded to LRT

These upgrades would significantly cut travel times and make bus travel more competitive with car travel especially during peak hours B r a m p t o n : A G l o b a l l y R e c o g n i z e d T r a n s i t S u c c e s s S t o r y

Brampton is a true 24-hour city Distribution centres, warehouses, hospitals, and Pearson Airport all operate around the clock, and thousands of Bramptonians work overnight shifts A transit system that shuts down at midnight is out of step with the needs of its population

Brampton needs to implement 24-hour transit service on key routes, starting with the Züm corridors. These routes don’t need full daytime frequency, but service every 30 minutes (as seen on Toronto’s Blue Night Network) would be a transformative improvement.

One cost-effective way to offer overnight service is through on-demand transit, as pioneered by Durham Region, which is now the first Ontario municipality outside Toronto to provide 24hour transit service across the entire urban area

On-demand service:

Is particularly well suited to overnight and low-demand hours I m p r o v i n g O v e r n i g h t S e r v i c e s

On-demand service can’t replace fixed-route bus service, but it can provide a useful supplement and can help build transit demand for future upgrade to fixed-route service

Brampton could become a leader in providing true 24-hour suburban transit, supporting workers who are otherwise left without safe and reliable options

Can reduce operating costs compared to full-sized fixedroute buses if demand is very light

Provides shorter walking distances and better coverage than a limited overnight fixed-route network alone.

Guarantees access to transit even if people need to unexpectedly work late.

Better Regional Connections

Brampton cannot function in isolation from the rest of the GTA. Riders need seamless, efficient transit connections to Mississauga, Vaughan, Toronto, and beyond Extending Brampton Transit and Züm routes into adjacent municipalities, where demand warrants, would reduce unnecessary transfers and travel delays

The province’s One Fare program has been a game changer in this regard, making multi-agency travel far more affordable Brampton had already done much of the legwork by integrating fares with MiWay and York Region Transit Now, the province has expanded on this by enabling free local transit when transferring to or from TTC, as well as GO Transit.

Continued collaboration between agencies will be essential. Riders should be able to cross boundaries without financial or

Serving Caledon

Caledon is growing rapidly and is increasingly integrated with Brampton’s urban fabric. Bolton, in particular, is home to a cluster of distribution centres and other major employers that attract workers from Brampton and beyond.

Yet Caledon remains under-served by transit A simple and cost-effective solution is to extend Brampton Transit routes northward into Caledon This approach has already been tested, but to be truly effective, these extensions must offer fullday, seven-day-a-week service, not just rush-hour coverage

Like in Brampton, Caledon’s major employers operate around the clock A robust, frequent, and reliable transit link will not only support workers, but reduce congestion and support Caledon’s emerging role in the region’s economy.

The GO 2 0 plan, recently announced by the Province of Ontario, represents the single most valuable and cost-effective transit investment in the Greater Toronto Area That’s why Premier Ford has listed it among Ontario’s five nation-building projects in his appeal to the Prime Minister for federal infrastructure support

By leveraging existing infrastructure, GO 2.0 can deliver radical improvements in regional rail service at a time when the cost of building new transit lines is ballooning and the demand for reliable service has never been higher.

But while the vision is compelling, a small tweak can deliver it at a fraction of the time and cost With a simple, practical realignment of freight traffic rather than building a whole new line, GO 2 0 could be delivered faster, more affordably, and more comprehensively benefiting the entire region and specifically cities like Brampton, where proper two-way all-day GO service is long overdue

Source: Rail Atlas of Canada

The core concept behind GO 2 0 is powerful: by diverting CPKC freight trains off the GO

Milton line and the freight-only midtown corridor through Toronto, the province can unlock a continuous rapid transit route from Milton to Malvern This new east-west line would serve: Milton, Mississauga, and Etobicoke

Midtown Toronto (with subway connections at Kipling, Dupont, and Summerhill)

Don Mills and Scarborough

This would functionally act as a regional express subway running across the entire western and central GTA, finally enabling:

Two-way, all-day GO service on the Milton and Kitchener lines

New connections to Rexdale and Brampton

A more direct corridor for ALTO high-speed rail to reach Union Station A R a p i d R e g i o n a l L i n k : M i l t o n t o M a l v e r n

A potential rail link to Caledon, via the recently abandoned Orangeville-Brampton Railway.

The Myth

of

the Missing Link

GO 2 0 currently identifies a need for a new freight bypass the so-called “Missing Link” to reroute CN and CPKC freight along the Highway 407 corridor between Milton and Bramalea But in reality, that link already exists

CPKC’s mainline already crosses CN’s in western Milton From there, CPKC trains could run north and then east on CN’s existing freight corridor through Brampton and York Region, rejoining their line in eastern Scarborough no greenfield construction required

Upgraded Shared CN/CPKC Corridor (Shared with GO from Bramalea to Georgetown)

Missing Link New Tracks No Longer Needed

Map of Rail Lines in the GTA

Source: Rail Atlas of Canada

Rather than building an entirely new 407-aligned freight corridor, the province could:

Upgrade the existing CN line to include at least four tracks through Brampton two for passenger rail, two for freight

The line is already planned to be widened to four tracks (with additional freight service tracks for local customers) throughout Brampton excepting the downtown area, where only three tracks are planned

The short three track segment forces track-sharing between passenger and freight trains, making electrification and passenger-centric signalling not feasible

There is room for four tracks through downtown Brampton We should be building it now before the area is redeveloped, rather than building three and potentially waiting decades to get to the ultimate infrastructure we need.

Repurpose existing Kitchener Line expansion plans to deliver the GO 2.0 service much sooner

Avoid the costs, delays, and uncertainty of building a new rail line from scratch

A new corridor along the 407 would cost many billions and, combined with the needed studies and environmental assessments, take many years before construction is complete Most of the work for a shared corridor along the Kitchener Line is already underway or planned, and no detailed environmental assessment is required

Benefits for Freight and Communities

The Cost Advantage

A new subway from Milton to Malvern could cost upwards of $50 billion, based on current rapid transit construction norms By contrast, leveraging and upgrading existing rail corridors would cost only a small fraction of that This is a unique opportunity

Yes, CPKC and CN would need to be fairly compensated for their assets, including:

Acquisition of CPKC’s Milton-to-Malvern corridor.

A 50% interest in CN’s Brampton-York Region corridor, transferred to CPKC

Additional track investments along the shared corridor.

But these are all relatively modest expenses compared to building an all-new line, and they unlock enormous value for the province, the region, and the railways themselves

Brampton is one of Canada’s most critical freight hubs, home to CN’s Brampton Intermodal Terminal, which is a critical hub for freight transport, allowing CN to transfer containers to and from trains across the country to trucks for last mile trips to businesses across the region CPKC’s Vaughan Intermodal Terminal is also right next door The CN rail corridor across the city is part of its core Toronto freight bypass, hosting freight trains that keep tens of thousands of trucks off our congested roads No improvement to passenger rail service should ever be allowed to interfere with this remarkable success story Canada’s railways move more tonne-kilometres of freight by rail than the entire European Union combined

Far from being a sacrifice for the freight railways, this proposed approach would modernize their operations, reduce maintenance costs, and offer them a purpose-built freight corridor better suited to 21st-century logistics.

CN’s corridor through York Region was purpose built in the 1960s as a safe, modern heavy freight rail line, well separated from surrounding communities by substantial earthen berms

Freight railways already share corridors elsewhere in Canada, including through Northern Ontario and British Columbia

The CPKC Agincourt yard can remain accessible via a spur from the bypass corridor

Traffic volumes of up to 70 trains per day are well within the range of busy freight corridors like BNSF’s Transcon in the U S , which handles over 100 trains per day on just two tracks

Most of the rail corridor passes through industrial areas in Brampton where its impact is minimal. The impact of increased freight traffic could also be easily mitigated where it passes through mixed-use area with measures like noise barriers, which are nonexistent even where the rail corridor passes in close proximity to homes in downtown Brampton, as well as trackbed upgrades to eliminate loud noises caused by trains passing over uneven segments

It delivers more transit, sooner

Optimizing Access on the Kitchener GO Corridor for Bramptonians

The Kitchener GO line is often thought of primarily as a long-distance commuter corridor linking Brampton to Toronto, Guelph, and Kitchener-Waterloo. But for Brampton itself, the corridor has the potential to serve as a true rapid east-west transit backbone within the city. With service improvements already planned under the GO 2.0 program, the next step is to ensure that this infrastructure directly supports local mobility as well.

To make that happen, Brampton needs more stations along the line A new station at Heritage Heights is essential to serve the city’s major growth area and support its transit-oriented development vision Additional stations at Chinguacousy Road or Kennedy Road could provide seamless transfers to Brampton Transit’s busiest bus routes, allowing the rail corridor to function as a rapid transit spine for the city’s east–west travel needs

The key is frequency. With trains running better than every 15 minutes, Brampton could support both local and express services. Not every train needs to stop at every station. Local services could connect new neighbourhood stations, while express services would ensure that longer-distance trips to Toronto, Guelph, and Kitchener remain fast and competitive with driving

This model requires a sufficiently upgraded rail corridor, with long sections of four-track passenger rail capacity alongside dedicated double-track freight operations While six tracks through downtown Brampton would not be feasible, it is achievable across much of the corridor elsewhere Passing tracks at Brampton Innovation District would not be needed since all services, express and local, would always stop there. This would provide the flexibility needed to layer local, express, and freight services without conflict.

The result would be transformative for Brampton residents. A trip from Heritage Heights to Bramalea, which today would require a long and circuitous bus ride, could instead be completed in minutes by rail By connecting local bus routes to a strengthened GO corridor, Brampton can create a high-frequency, city-wide rapid transit system at a fraction of the cost of building new subways or LRT, fully integrated with the region beyond

Short-Term Improvement Opportunities

Bramptonians have been waiting a long time for improvements to their GO service, but building GO 2 0 will take several more years In the interim, there are low-cost steps that could meaningfully improve the usability of service before additional tracks make more trains possible. Today, Brampton Innovation District and Mount Pleasant stations only have hourly service for most of the day, with no trains running from Toronto to Brampton in the morning and no evening return trains from those stations to Toronto. This hourly service is inconvenient compared with Bramalea’s half-hourly frequency and limits access for Bramptonians to Toronto and, importantly, for people from Toronto commuting to businesses and schools in Brampton

A valuable short-term opportunity would be an all-day once-per-hour express bus from Bramalea to Brampton Innovation District and Mount Pleasant, connecting with trains that currently terminate at Bramalea and making them viable options for the rest of the city In addition, service from Bramalea to downtown Toronto in the evening rush hour does not maintain the half-hourly frequency offered for most of the day, even though there is ample track capacity on the Metrolinx-owned segment east of Bramalea and significant demand for evening trips into Toronto. Boosting that service, combined with connecting feeder buses from other parts of Brampton, would provide the city with a much more comprehensive and convenient rail connection to Toronto

The Brampton LRT Extension

The past year marked a turning point in Brampton’s transit future, with the largest transit investment announcement in the city’s history: a commitment from the federal and provincial governments to fund an underground extension of the Hurontario-Main LRT from its future terminus at Steeles Avenue to downtown Brampton, estimated to cost $2.8 billion dollars

This long-awaited project fulfills the original ambition of the Hurontario LRT and lays the foundation for a true northsouth rapid transit backbone in Brampton

A Game-Changer for Local and Regional Transit

Why Underground Matters

The choice to pursue an underground alignment offers key advantages:

It avoids operating in mixed traffic, ensuring faster and more reliable travel times

It preserves the historic character of Brampton’s downtown, avoiding intrusive surface rail infrastructure

It minimizes disruption along a constrained corridor that lacks space for surface LRT

Finding Cost Savings Without Sacrificing Benefits

To minimize the cost of this $2 8 billion project while preserving its core benefits, Brampton should explore creative design solutions wherever possible, including adjusting the tunnel portal location if feasible and taking advantage of existing sites for construction. Two possibilities stand out:

1. Reconsidering the Nanwood Station and Tunnel Portal Location

The current plan includes an underground station near Nanwood, adjacent to a shopping centre slated for redevelopment This area is not nearly as sensitive to the visual impact of a surface structure and the road right-ofway is much wider than further north

If the tunnel portal can be moved just north of Etobicoke Creek, the project may be able to:

Shift from a very costly underground station at Nanwood to a conventional surface station

Avoid tunneling under the creek (a costly engineering challenge that forces Nanwood station to be much deeper and therefore more expensive)

The extension will:

Serve one of Brampton’s busiest bus corridors on Main Street south of downtown

Connect two of the city’s biggest planned growth areas in Downtown Brampton and the Main and Steeles area

Link key regional destinations, including: Square One in Mississauga

Port Credit GO Station on the Lakeshore West line

Cooksville GO Station on the Milton line

Brampton GO (Innovation District) on the Kitchener line

Strengthen Brampton’s position in the regional rail and rapid transit network

With thoughtful design, this could be done without compromising travel time, service quality, or neighborhood integration

While this may not be feasible, it is worth examining as underground stations are a very expensive part of a subway project so shifting the Nanwood station to an above-ground location and avoiding a complex under-river tunnel could greatly reduce costs while delivering comparable benefits.

2. Minimizing Disruption in Downtown Brampton

Even with tunnel boring machines limiting surface disruption, the downtown station will require major construction

The City of Brampton has already acquired and demolished buildings on the east side of Main Street north of Queen, adjacent to Garden Square

This site may be suitable for the new station box, avoiding the need to dig up Main Street directly and limiting construction impacts on downtown businesses and infrastructure.

Supporting Affected Businesses

Construction of this magnitude will inevitably bring disruption Brampton and Metrolinx should learn from past transit megaprojects including Toronto’s Ontario Line and Vancouver’s Canada Line, where construction disruption had significant impacts on local retail businesses.

While the current extension to downtown Brampton is transformative, now is the time to plan for the next stage: extending the LRT northward to serve even more of the city T h e B r a m p t o n L R T E x t e n s i o n

Business supports are essential to protect vulnerable local enterprises, especially in Downtown Brampton where they have faced a series of disruptive projects They should be prepared in advance, not as after-the-fact compensation, so that businesses have the certainty to make long-term plans They should include:

Financial compensation for lost revenue

Marketing campaigns and wayfinding for affected areas

Dedicated liaison officers to assist businesses through each phase of construction

Protecting for the Next Phase of LRT Expansion

1. Main Street North (Surface or Underground)

A direct continuation from downtown, this option could be developed as a surface or underground alignment

A surface line would be less costly but may face congestion and signal delays

An underground or semi-exclusive route would offer faster and more reliable service but at higher cost.

2. Orangeville-Brampton Railway Corridor

Recently preserved by the City of Brampton following abandonment, this corridor is currently planned to become a recreational trail It is located just west of Main Street running in parallel, making it within walking distance of Main as well as providing equally good connections to local bus routes

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Two potential alignments for northward LRT extension

The Orangeville-Brampton Railway Corridor is being preserved as a trail, but it also be used in future as a transit corridor alongside the trail given its excellent location as a north-south spine for the city.

Roads and Highways

Brampton has a substantial and strategically important road network It serves not only the city’s large volume of private vehicle traffic but also plays a crucial role in supporting its many industrial and logistics businesses, its proximity to Pearson International Airport, and its direct access to CN’s Brampton Intermodal Terminal.

Brampton is Canada’s logistics capital, which makes its road network critical not only to local travel but also to Canada’s economy as a whole If trucks can’t get in and out of Brampton, businesses right across Ontario and Canada will struggle to fill their shelves or sell their products That is why Brampton’s highway infrastructure must be understood within broader provincial and federal priorities: Highway 407 and 410 are central to Ontario’s Goods Movement Strategy as designated trade corridors. At the federal level, these same corridors align with the National Trade Corridors Fund by facilitating efficient, reliable goods movement between CN’s Brampton Intermodal Terminal, Pearson International Airport, and markets across the country

Given Brampton’s rapid population and employment growth, this road network is under considerable strain, as any resident can attest. Strategic upgrades are needed not only to mitigate congestion but also to ensure Brampton remains economically competitive and livable

New Technology for Traffic Management

The revolutionary technological advancements in recent years have made possible much more advanced tools for managing road traffic. These can be used for prioritized transit, as previously discussed, but they can also be used simply to mitigate congestion and reduce bottlenecks This can be done with far less disruption, cost, and time than physical improvements to roads There is an opportunity for the province to provide financial support for municipalities to adopt new technologies especially Canadian-developed technologies where available that help to address road traffic congestion.

Highway 410 And 407

Highway 410: A Bottlenecked Backbone

Highway 410 remains the main north-south expressway link for Brampton While the highway has undergone substantial expansion over recent decades, it continues to experience significant congestion, particularly during peak hours.

To address this, the Province of Ontario has announced plans to widen Highway 410 from Queen Street to Bovaird Drive and extend the high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. This is a welcome and overdue project to address a critical bottleneck that backs up northbound traffic every evening, but on its own, it will not resolve the broader congestion challenges the highway faces More comprehensive interventions will be needed in the long term to preserve mobility on this essential corridor

Highway 407: A Great Opportunity For Transit and Goods Movement

Highway 407 is Brampton’s second major expressway. Operated by the private 407 ETR consortium, it offers a fast and reliable east-west route across the city, with links to York and Halton Regions. Because of its tolls, the highway is less congested than alternative routes making it ideal for high-speed bus travel and potentially a stronger freight corridor

Today, Highway 407 supports a growing network of express bus services offering direct, high-frequency connections to destinations as far as Kitchener-Waterloo, Oakville, York Region, and Scarborough These routes already play an important role in bringing commuters to Brampton and could be further expanded to serve a wider range of destinations

Bramalea GO station is a major express bus hub in the western GTA, but many buses are forced to enter the station from f ff

H i g h w a y 4 1 3 : G e t t i n g I t D o n e R i g h t

The single largest transportation project planned in Brampton is Highway 413 This new expressway is currently undergoing provincial environmental assessment and is expected to begin construction around 2030.

Highway 413 would loop around Brampton from the west to the north, linking Highway 401 at the 401–407 interchange in the west to Highway 400 in Vaughan via Highway 427 The highway would open up automobile access to major growth areas in western Brampton and southern Caledon

While Highway 413 would relieve pressure on existing roads and provide new development access, it must not become a blueprint for auto-only suburban sprawl. The project should be implemented in tandem with complementary transportation investments, including transit and regional rail, such as the Orangeville-Brampton Railway Corridor. As a transit route, its stations could serve as the hub of transit-oriented development in southern Caledon

The City of Brampton had originally proposed a boulevard alternative for the western part of the corridor a more urban and multi-modal solution but one that did not provide speed and capacity for longer distance traffic While the province ultimately chose to proceed with a full expressway, this does not mean urban-style planning in Heritage Heights must be abandoned.

Heritage Heights remains a critical opportunity for transit-oriented development centered on a future GO rail station

D e s i g n M i t i g a t i o n s : L e s s o n s f r o m W i n d s o r

To reduce the visual and community impact of Highway 413 as it passes through future neighbourhoods, Brampton can advocate for infrastructure design that incorporates green decks and cover structures A useful model is the Rt Hon Herb Gray Parkway in Windsor, an extension of Highway 401 leading to the new Gordie Howe International Bridge over the Detroit River

The Windsor parkway features a series of short highway tunnels, or covered segments, interspersed with open stretches. These are topped with green space to mitigate the impact of the road on surrounding communities.

Applying this concept in Brampton particularly in Heritage Heights could support the development of walkable, mixed-use communities Decked sections could include landscaped parks, public squares, and pedestrian connections effectively hiding the highway from view in key urban locations. They can be concentrated where local streets cross the highway, preserving the continuity of the urban grid and ensuring that the highway does not sever future neighbourhoods.

Importantly, these covered segments in Windsor are short enough that they do not require mechanical ventilation systems, making them much more cost-effective than traditional tunnel structures

Getting Ready for Electric Vehicles

Around the world, vehicle manufacturers are investing billions in new battery plants and facilities for manufacturing electric vehicles, including right here in Brampton and elsewhere in Ontario. As these investments come online over the coming years, the availability and affordability of electric vehicles is going to increase rapidly Despite the recent turbulence in the electric vehicle market, this is a reality for which cities like Brampton need to be prepared

The critical barrier to EV adoption is convenient charging Better policies can help to mitigate these challenges For the many Bramptonians who live in a single-family home, adding a charging outlet is relatively simple For others, though, it is a more complex challenge Other cities, however, have shown a way forward Vancouver currently requires all parking places in new multi-unit residential buildings to be EV-ready so that everyone has the option to drive and EV. Policies can also facilitate the construction of new fast charger facilities, which are especially useful for those making long journeys. It’s equally important to take into account the charging needs of commercial users and large fleets when making policy. It is notable that Brampton is already a leader in the electrification of its bus fleet [5]

Expanding this network will not only improve transit access across the city but also create a strong foundation for modal shift away from cars Better frequencies ideally every 10 to 15 minutes should be the norm on key corridors, and weekend and evening service must also improve and Brampton Transit has announced plans to expand its Züm network with additional routes, the first of which will be on Chinguacousy Road. The ultimate goal should be to offer Zümstandard service frequent, reliable, and high-capacity on all major arterial roads across Brampton.

Optimizing Intermodal Goods Movement

Brampton is already Canada’s logistics capital, strategically positioned at the crossroads of the country’s most important goods movement corridors The city sits astride CN’s mainline freight bypass of Toronto, with direct access to Highways 401, 410, and 407, and eventually Highway 413 CPKC’s mainlines run close by in Mississauga and Vaughan, while Toronto Pearson International Airport Canada’s busiest cargo airport is directly adjacent Together, these assets give Brampton a central role in keeping Canada’s supply chains moving

At the heart of this network are CN’s Brampton Intermodal Terminal and CPKC’s Vaughan Intermodal Terminal. A 2024 case study on Peel Region’s goods movement confirmed that the Brampton CN terminal alone handles 60% of CN’s national intermodal traffic, a figure that underscores its strategic significance. Containers arriving from across Canada and around the world are unloaded at these facilities and placed onto trucks for their last-mile journeys, many destined for the vast concentration of distribution centres, logistics facilities, and manufacturers located in Brampton itself

This makes Brampton one of the country’s most important inland ports Yet there is an opportunity to build on this success with targeted investments Doing so is essential to sustain the rapid growth of Brampton’s logistics sector and to keep supply chains running smoothly. In particular, Brampton’s assets will be central to Canada’s efforts to diversify exports to global markets, reducing overreliance on a limited set of trade partners.

Moving forward, coordinated land-use planning is needed to balance industrial, logistics, and residential growth, ensuring that Brampton can grow sustainably while preserving its competitive edge as a freight hub Aligning these efforts with provincial and federal trade and infrastructure strategies, such as Ontario’s Goods Movement Strategy and the federal National Trade Corridors Fund, will ensure that Brampton’s logistics sector continues to thrive as a driver of jobs, investment, and national competitiveness

There are multiple steps that can be taken to help Brampton and Canada’s economies thrive:

Improve Terminal Access

Upgrade road connections to CN’s Brampton Intermodal Terminal and CPKC’s Vaughan Terminal to improve truck flow and reduce bottlenecks on local arterials.

Explore dedicated freight corridors or managed truck lanes on Highways 410 and 413 to separate goods movement from commuter traffic.

Examine opportunities for increased truck usage of highway 407

Support Last-Mile Logistics

Pilot alternative last-mile solutions, such as cargo e-bikes or low-emission delivery vans, to support cleaner and more efficient distribution.

Integrate Land Use and Logistics

Preserve and expand industrial land supply near intermodal facilities to protect Brampton’s role as a national freight hub

Apply planning tools to balance growth between industrial/logistics uses and new residential development, minimizing land-use conflicts

Invest in Technology and Sustainability

Support adoption of zero-emission freight vehicles by supporting the provision of charging and fueling infrastructure at key logistics nodes.

Deploy digital freight management and real-time traffic tools to improve efficiency at along key goods movement corridors

Active Transportation and Micromobility

Cities around the world are embracing new modes of transportation to solve persistent mobility challenges, especially the “last mile” problem: how to get people from transit stops to their final destination In congested urban areas where road capacity is limited, walking, cycling, and micromobility modes like e-scooters provide essential alternatives to the car Brampton has taken notable steps to lead in this area, adopting policies that place it ahead of many peer cities in the region

Cycling and Micromobility: A New Urban Layer

Brampton is investing in expanding its cycling network to make cycling a safe and viable transportation option The city's updated Official Plan includes a comprehensive city-wide cycling network, not just as a series of piecemeal or politically symbolic projects, but as a practical and connected system for safe, daily use

A successful active transportation network depends on:

Continuity

Paths and lanes must form a coherent, connected system.

Separation

Bikes and scooters should have dedicated space, separate from both cars and pedestrians, to maximize safety and comfort

Design Quality

Infrastructure should be inviting, intuitive, and accessible for all users, including those new to cycling or scooters

It also requires better options for safely storing bikes For example, new high-density residential buildings should be required to include secure and easily accessible bike storage, potentially with incentives provided for adding similar facilities to existing buildings. Businesses can also support their workers who use bikes by providing secure bike storage. Even a small amount of garage space can be repurposed to securely store large numbers of bikes.

Brampton is the first city in the Greater Toronto Area to legalize shared electric scooters By embracing this new technology ahead of Toronto and others, Brampton has positioned itself as a regional leader in micromobility E-scooters offer a fast, fun, and practical way to navigate short distances especially for connecting between transit stations and homes, workplaces, or shops Importantly, scooters thrive on the same infrastructure that supports cycling

Local companies like SCOOTY, which launched in Brampton, are now looking to export the model to other cities With the right infrastructure in place, scooters can become an integral part of Brampton’s multi-modal transportation system A c t i v e T r a n s p o r t a t i o n a n d M i c r o m o b i l i t y

By treating cycling and micromobility as serious transportation options and not just recreational amenities, Brampton can reduce traffic congestion, support healthier lifestyles, and make it easier for people to choose alternatives to driving.

Improving the Pedestrian Realm

While Brampton has made great strides in transit and is building out its cycling infrastructure, the pedestrian environment in much of the city still lags behind

Every transit user begins and ends their journey as a pedestrian Yet in many parts of Brampton especially in employment areas like distribution centres the walking environment is deeply inhospitable. The COVID-19 pandemic brought national attention to this issue, with media highlighting workers lining up for buses on desolate street corners, far from the entrances of massive warehouse buildings. In the winter of 2025, the severe snowstorm led many pedestrians to have to walk through thick snowbanks or even on the roadway of busy streets because of delays to sidewalk snow removal

Too often, sidewalks are:

Narrow or missing altogether

Located far from building entrances

Separated from destinations by berms, snowbanks, or circuitous detours

Covered in snow well after roadways themselves have been ploughed

These conditions are especially difficult for shift workers navigating long hours and harsh weather Despite this, Brampton’s high transit ridership shows that people are still willing to walk, even in challenging conditions But they shouldn’t have to

Improving the pedestrian realm doesn’t always require major capital investments Simple, targeted improvements can make a meaningful difference:

Direct pedestrian paths between bus stops and building entrances

A big part of Ontario’s high transit ridership compared with many American suburban areas is that most Ontario cities have made sure to provide direct pedestrian paths from winding suburban streets out to the arterial road. This both shortens walking distances and reduces the need for buses to take slow, meandering routes on winding suburban collector roads. Those types of routes both extend travel times and increase operating costs.

Improved lighting and benches along key walking routes

Wider sidewalks and better winter maintenance

Human-scaled design in newly developed or redeveloped areas[6]

As Brampton grows and intensifies, retrofitting existing areas and designing new neighbourhoods with the pedestrian in mind will be essential Brampton residents deserve a safe, pleasant, and dignified walking experience whether they are going to work, catching a bus, or just walking through their community.

Transportation and Land Use

Transportation and land use planning must go hand in hand Land use shapes transportation demand whether through the density of people, the built form (e g , single-family homes, townhomes, or high-rise development), or the layout of the street and pedestrian network. Equally, transportation systems shape how land is used, determining what kinds of development are viable and attractive

Brampton’s long-term success depends on integrating these two areas of planning more intentionally and ambitiously

How Land Use Drives Transportation Demand

Where and how we build has a direct effect on how people get around Residential density, employment concentration, and the mix of land uses all influence travel behaviour.

Historically, Brampton’s dominant development pattern has been single-family housing Certain ambitious developments like Bramalea did also include higher-density development, especially around the Bramalea City Centre, but the dominant housing type remained single-family and planning assumed that the dominant mode of transportation would be the car. Different uses are widely separated so that the journey from home to work or even to the store is generally too far to walk As Brampton has grown and land values have increased, there has been increasing demand for higher-density housing options, especially in more walkable communities with good access to transit.

There are also important distinctions in employment development types:

Decentralized employment (such as distribution centres or industry that make up much of the city’s employment base) spreads out job locations, often in car-dependent areas While these sites may appear less intense, they often generate very high commuter volumes, especially due to shift work and 24/7 operations

Concentrated employment, such as office buildings, institutional campuses, and downtown districts, creates highly focused travel demand and is far better suited for service by high-capacity transit

How Transportation Shapes Land Use

The reverse is also true: the transportation system we build influences how land is developed

An auto-oriented transportation system leads to longer commutes, larger parking areas, separated land uses, and lower-density development

A transit-oriented system fosters walkable, mixed-use communities with shorter travel distances and more humanscaled environments

In car-dominated systems, people often drive from home to work, then from work to a restaurant or shop. In transitoriented areas, those destinations are walkable built into the same neighborhood or within a quick transit trip.

Brampton Transit’s success proves that strong transit service can still work even in decentralized environments From this strong base, Brampton can go further by shaping future development to be denser, more walkable, and better aligned with transit infrastructure

Of course, not every part of the city can, or should, be redeveloped Industrial zones and many existing neighborhoods will retain their current form But Brampton’s planning strategy is right to provide people with a variety of choices by focusing on developing new, dense, mixed-use communities at key transit nodes in addition to more traditional forms of development.

Building Around Stations: Brampton’s Next Frontier

The City’s vision includes several high-potential transitoriented districts:

Mount Pleasant

A modest prototype already in place, with small-town-style walkability around a GO station

Downtown Brampton (Innovation District)

More ambitious plans here include high-rise residential, office towers (such as the Centre for Innovation (CFI) in Downtown Brampton), and a mix of uses that can support a car-light lifestyle.

Steeles and Main

The future Hurontario-Main LRT terminus is expected to have major redevelopment with high-density housing. The nearby court house and shopping mall already provides a significant employment base.

This kind of development makes transit more efficient and more heavily used, shortens people’s trips, enables car-light or car-free lifestyles without sacrificing quality of life, and encourages vibrant, inclusive, and diverse neighborhoods

Examples from elsewhere show what’s possible:

In the Washington, D.C. region, communities like Ballston, Bethesda, and Silver Spring have developed as transitoriented hubs, mixing employment, housing, and amenities all within walkable environments

In Stockholm, Vällingby serves as a suburban “new town” built around a transit station, with a shopping centre, midrise housing, and lower-density residential extending outward This is a great model for Brampton since it includes a variety of housing types, ranging from single family to high-rise residential.

In Copenhagen, large-scale office developments are required to be within walking distance of rail stations, ensuring they are compatible with a sustainable transportation system

The MTSA Opportunity

Source: City of Brampton

The Province of Ontario has supported intensification around major transit stations through the Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) framework In Brampton, the identified MTSAs are located around: GO stations

The Hurontario LRT

The proposed Queen Street BRT

While the provincial designation provides the framework, local implementation is up to the city. This is Brampton’s opportunity to be bold by planning these areas as complete, connected, and attractive urban districts.

The GO Kitchener Line passes through the heart of Brampton’s industrial area. This means that the area around the city’s best connected rail station at Bramalea is large industrial distribution centres While preserving employment lands is broadly a very important goal given their scarcity and economic importance, the City of Brampton’s MTSA plan for the area does show some opportunities for mixed-use intensification Given its high-quality rail service and its extensive GO bus links, Bramalea GO station is one of the most important transportation hubs in the entire western GTA It is therefore an opportunity to be bold and build a third, large-scale, mixed-use community Given the huge land area of the adjacent distribution centres, even millions of square feet of office and housing development would not require the replacement of more than a handful of them. This could be counterbalanced by zoning additional employment lands in other parts of the city.

Crucially, this isn’t about eliminating suburban housing It’s about offering choices There will always be a place for singlefamily homes But residents should also have the option to live in walkable, mixed-use communities without needing to leave Brampton

Institutions and Employment: The Real Trip Generators

While housing supply is essential, it’s important to remember that the biggest trip generators are not residential buildings they are major employment and institutional sites A single office tower can generate thousands of daily trips Hospitals, colleges, universities, and civic buildings can generate even more

That’s why it’s critical to locate these major trip generators near transit stations A commuter who can take one bus to a GO train and walk to their destination is far more likely to use transit than one who must take multiple transfers or cover the last mile by car. The new Peel Memorial Hospital is a great example of this done right. This will be a major new destination for employees, patients, and visitors, and it will be within convenient walking distance of the LRT, GO station, and upgraded bus service on Queen. Likewise, Algoma University’s downtown Brampton campus is very accessible for students all across the region

Connecting to Pearson Airport

Toronto Pearson International Airport is one of Brampton’s most important economic assets It directly employs tens of thousands of people and moves over 50 million passengers annually, along with fully half of Canada’s international air cargo Its proximity to Brampton makes it a natural hub for both employment and passenger travel for the city’s residents

Yet despite this proximity, Brampton remains poorly connected to the airport

Barriers between Pearson and Brampton

Pearson Airport’s surrounding road network is primarily oriented toward Toronto and the eastern GTA, rather than to Brampton and other western municipalities UP Express, the primary rail link to the airport, connects only to downtown Toronto via Union Station, bypassing the rapidly growing cities to the west

Short-Term Solutions: Better Bus

Connectivity

The most immediate improvement Brampton can make is to strengthen direct bus links to Pearson Airport Several strategies should be considered: Extend the existing Airport Express route to serve more parts of Brampton Streamline the current route by removing excess stops and using express segments on Highway 407 and 427 to improve travel times.

Introduce new express routes from Brampton’s key transit nodes such as Mount Pleasant, Bramalea, and the Innovation District to Pearson

Launch a shuttle service from Malton GO Station to the airport terminals Since Malton GO is directly linked to Brampton via the Kitchener Line, this would open up faster connections not only for Brampton residents but also for commuters from further afield, such as Kitchener or even London

Brampton to Pearson Airport

Peak Traffic Delays

Driving from Pearson to downtown Brampton can take 30 minutes or more during peak congestion.

Extended Transit Time

A transit journey from Pearson to Brampton often takes over an hour, typically requiring at least one transfer.

For an airport of Pearson’s size and regional importance, this is a significant infrastructure gap.

This last-mile shuttle could also serve as a critical interim measure while more permanent rail improvements are pursued

Long-Term Vision: A Regional Rail Connection

In the longer term, Brampton and Pearson should work with Metrolinx to establish a direct, high-quality rail link between the airport and the Kitchener GO Line.

Extend a Pearson people mover to the future Woodbine GO Station (now under development).

This would allow all Kitchener Line trains to offer a seamless connection to the airport via a short transfer Similar airport-to-rail people mover connections exist in many global cities:

Newark Liberty Airport (New York metro area)

Orly Airport (Paris)

Luton Airport (London)

Build a western rail connection to the UP Express spur.

This allows trains from the west (e g , Kitchener–Guelph–Brampton) to directly serve Pearson Airport

This would make possible a dedicated hourly service linking multiple Western GTA cities to the airport offering convenience for travelers and reducing car dependency.

Such a service could also support local travel between cities, not just airport-bound passengers. With connections to other planned transit projects at Pearson such as the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, and potentially a Finch West LRT extension Pearson could become a major Western GTA multimodal transit hub

The map shows the Kitchener GO Line (green), the UP Express spur (yellow), and the proposed new track (red) that would enable a direct Brampton connection

From Airport to Regional Hub

Pearson Airport’s leadership has long articulated a vision of becoming more than just an airport. It aspires to be a central transportation node for the Western GTA. Achieving that vision will require coordinated investment in rail, transit, and regional planning.

Brampton, given its location and its growing role in the regional economy, has every reason to advocate for and help shape this transformation Better connecting Brampton to Pearson Airport will not only improve airport access, it will unlock new economic opportunities and enhance Brampton’s role in the GTA’s transportation network

Future Opportunities

The Province of Ontario, supported by the federal government, is currently undertaking the largest transit infrastructure investment in Canadian history New subways, light rail lines, and bus rapid transit corridors are being built across the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH), all anchored by the transformation of GO Rail from a peak-period commuter network to a regional rapid transit system with frequent, all-day, two-way service

These investments are vital. But they are also a long-overdue response to decades of underinvestment. Even with construction booming, the GTA, which ranks among the fastest-growing urban centres in North America, is still catching up.

By comparison, peer cities in Europe and Asia are expanding just as quickly, but starting from a far more advanced base To compete globally, we cannot afford another cycle of boom followed by stagnation, as occurred after the postwar infrastructure wave of the 1960s and 70s

This will also mean paying closer attention to the very high cost of construction in Canada relative to peer jurisdictions in Europe and even here in Canada. Montreal is currently building a new fully automated regional rapid transit system that is 67 km long, which is as long as the entire existing Toronto subway network. This project, the first phase of which is already open, is currently expected to cost $8.25 billion dollars less than the 18km long Eglinton Crosstown LRT alone. If Toronto could build at Montreal REM’s costs, it would be feasible to build rapid transit lines like the Vancouver Skytrain throughout the region, including Brampton, such as along the Highway 407 alignment [7] The high cost of infrastructure construction for many projects is an area of significant active research, and measures have already been taken based on lessons learned from previous projects, like Ontario’s Building Transit Faster Act [8]

The underground LRT extension, GO Expansion, and targeted bus and microtransit improvements will provide a strong foundation for Brampton But to meet the city’s future needs, we must look beyond the current wave of construction and plan proactively for long-term growth

Source: Connecting the GGH: A Transportation Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe B e y o n dC a t c h U p : P l a n n i n g f o r t h e N e x t G e n e r a t i o n

The Ministry of Transportation’s "Connecting the GGH" plan for 2051 identifies high-level priorities identifies high-level priorities for Brampton and the surrounding region. While a useful framework, the plan must now be refined into detailed, deliverable investments.

r e s e r v i n g F u t u r e T r a n s i t C o r r i d o r s

One of the key lessons of modern transit planning is simple: It is far cheaper and more effective to preserve corridors at the time of development than to retrofit transit into builtup areas later Without proactive planning, new lines are either forced underground, at extreme expense, or built without dedicated rights-of-way, making them slower and less reliable

This makes it essential that Brampton identifies and preserves future rapid transit corridors particularly in developing greenfield areas. These could include:

New branches off existing GO lines (a strategy not yet used in the GTA but technically feasible and cost-effective in greenfield contexts)

Utilization of preserved corridors, such as the former Orangeville-Brampton Railway, for future rail or LRT service

As part of a full GO 2 0-style regional service, for instance, the Orangeville-Brampton corridor could be operated as a branch of the Milton GO line, offering:

A north-south transit spine through Brampton Service into southern Caledon

Direct rail access to the heart of Mississauga

An alternative to the Kitchener Line that is less dependent on travel to downtown Toronto

Alto: High-Speed Rail and Brampton’s Role

The federal government’s Alto initiative (formerly known as VIA HFR) is a bold plan for true high-speed rail between Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City. While current planning focuses on eastern Canada, the government's most recent election platform proposed a western extension

The logical corridor for western HSR to Waterloo Region and London runs through Brampton, which would enable a stop at Pearson International Airport, which aligns with successful international examples (e g , Frankfurt, Paris Charles de Gaulle) Pearson’s enormous catchment area and Brampton’s large population offer a compelling case for a second stop in downtown Brampton, creating an integrated high-speed corridor through the western GTA.

The inclusion of Brampton and Pearson would: Boost Alto’s ridership and economic viability

Creating a Truly Regional Transit System

Brampton’s role in the regional economy is deeply tied to the vast industrial and logistics district that surrounds Pearson Airport This area draws tens of thousands of workers from across the GTA But transit access is fragmented, slow, and limited in capacity.

To support a dynamic regional economy, we need a transit system that connects people across the region—not just to downtown Toronto This is essential for job access and worker mobility, employer access to talent, and, therefore, to overall productivity and economic growth

Workers in eastern Toronto and Durham Region must be able to reach Brampton’s job centres efficiently, just as Brampton residents need fast access to jobs in York Region, Mississauga, and beyond A future-ready regional transit system must make these multidirectional connections possible.

Conclusion

Brampton is undergoing a period of extraordinary transformation But its continued success depends on staying ahead of growth By planning now for future transit corridors, advocating for a role in national-scale infrastructure like ALTO, and supporting a truly regional, bidirectional transit network, Brampton can solidify its position as a transportation leader in Canada and build a city that is connected, competitive, and livable for generations to come.

References & Citations

[

1] See, for example, Jonathan English, “The Toronto Suburb Where the Humble Bus Is King,” Bloomberg, April 14, 2025, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-14/the-torontosuburb-where-the-humble-bus-is-king; and Sean Marshall, “The Secret Behind Brampton’s Transit Success,” TVO, January 8, 2018, https://www.tvo.org/article/the-secret-behind-bramptonstransit-success

[2] Brampton Population and Dwelling Data, https://geohubbrampton.opendata.arcgis.com/pages/profile-pop-dwelling

[3] Public Transportation Ridership Report, Second Quarter 2024, American Public Transportation Association, https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-Q2-Ridership-APTA.pdf

[4] "Impact of Congestion in the GTHA and Ontario: Economic and Social Risks," December 9, 2024, CANCEA, https://www.cancea.ca/index.php/2024/12/09/impact-of-congestion-in-the-gtha-andontario-economic-and-social-risks/

References & Citations

[5] For more on policies to facilitate EV adoption, see "SuperCharge Roadmap: Paving the Way for Zero-Emission Vehicles," April 2022, Toronto Region Board of Trade, https://bot com/Resources/Resource-Library/SuperCharge-Roadmap and "Electrifying the Lot," March 2025, Clean Energy Canada, https://cleanenergycanada.org/report/electrifying-the-lot/

[6] See, for example, Jan Gehl, Cities for People (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2010)

[7] See, for example, Jonathan English, "How Montreal Built a Blueprint for Bargain Rapid Transit," October 30, 2023, https://www bloomberg com/news/articles/2023-10-30/how-montreal-s-newrapid-transit-line-saved-millions-per-mile.

[8] See Transit Costs Project (www transitcosts com) and Jedwin Mok, Marco Chitti, Amer Shalaby, "Understanding the Drivers of Transit Construction Costs in Canada: A Comparative Study," January 2025, University of Toronto School of Cities, https://schoolofcities.utoronto.ca/wpcontent/uploads/2025/04/Understanding-the-Drivers-of-Transit-Construction-Costs-inCanada_Feb-2025_FINAL.pdf

Credits & Acknowledgements

This whitepaper is the result of many hands, voices, and ideas, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who helped bring it to life.

First and foremost, we thank transportation advocates across Brampton. Your persistence and belief in a city that moves better and works better for everyone have inspired this work and helped shape its direction

We also acknowledge the staff and council of the City of Brampton, whose leadership and commitment to a more connected and sustainable future continue to turn ideas into action and progress.

Special thanks go to Alexa Michiyo Rigonan and Hephzibah Adebola, whose thoughtful and detailed mapping gave clarity and strength to the story this whitepaper seeks to tell.

We are also grateful to the Brampton Board of Trade’s Policy and Government Relations Committee for standing alongside this effort and offering steady support and insight. In particular, we recognize Moaz Ahmad, Chris Drew, Ron Bouwhuis, Hana Brissenden, and Darshpreet Bhatti, whose perspectives, wisdom, and generosity elevated this project

To all who care about the future of mobility in Brampton: this work is for you, and because of you.

Special Thanks

Author: Jonathan English

Editor: Vijai Kumar

Designer: Joshua Bulatovich

BUILDING A TRANSPORTATION NETWORK FOR A CITY ON THE RISE

Strategic investments in Brampton’s transit, highways, freight hubs, and active transportation will deliver benefits far beyond the city itself

Have questions or want to get more involved with The Brampton Board of Trade?

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