Urban rail transit in Canada encompasses a broad range of rail mass transit systems, including commuter rail, rapid transit, light rail, and streetcar systems.
Urban rail transit in Canada encompasses a broad range of rail mass transit systems, including commuter rail, rapid transit, light rail, and streetcar systems.
Italics indicate a line under construction.
| Region | System | Average weekday ridership (weekdays, Q3 2024) [1] | Technology | Lines | In operation | Under construction | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stations | System length | Stations | System length | |||||
| Calgary, Alberta | CTrain | 261,100 | Light rail | 45 | 59.9 km (37.2 mi) | 13 | 18 km (11 mi) | |
| Edmonton, Alberta | Edmonton LRT | 84,300 | Light rail | 29 | 37.4 km (23.2 mi) | 16 | 14 km (8.7 mi) | |
| Greater Montreal, Quebec | Exo | 68,500 (Q3 2019) [2] | Commuter rail | | 52 | 204.6 km (127.1 mi) | 1 | – |
| Montreal Metro [a] | 1,009,600 | Rubber-tired metro | 68 | 69.2 km (43.0 mi) | 5 | 6 km (3.7 mi) | ||
| Réseau express métropolitain [a] | Light metro |  Réseau express métropolitain | 5 | 16.6 km (10.3 mi) | 21 | 50.4 km (31.3 mi) | ||
| Ottawa, Ontario | O-Train [a] | 63,500 | Light rail | 13 | 12.5 km (7.8 mi) | 28 | 48.5 km (30.1 mi) | |
| Greater Toronto Area, Ontario | GO Transit rail services | 240,700 | Commuter rail | | 68 | 526.1 km (326.9 mi) | 3 | – |
| Union Pearson Express | 11,500 (April 2019) [3] | Airport rail link |  UP Express | 4 | 23.3 km (14.5 mi) | – | – | |
| Toronto subway | 1,035,300 | Subway [a] | | 70 | 70.5 km (43.8 mi) | 60 | 61.8 km (38.4 mi) | |
| Light rail | ||||||||
| Light metro |  Ontario Line | |||||||
| Toronto streetcar | 223,300 | Streetcar | 10 lines (list) | 685 | 83 km (52 mi) | – | – | |
| Terminal Link [a] | People mover | – | 3 | 1.5 km (0.93 mi) | – | – | ||
| Metro Vancouver, British Columbia | West Coast Express | 6,100 | Commuter rail |  West Coast Express | 8 | 69 km (43 mi) | – | – |
| SkyTrain [a] | 455,700 | Light metro | 54 | 79.6 km (49.5 mi) | 13 [4] [5] | 21.7 km (13.5 mi) [6] | ||
| Waterloo Region, Ontario | Ion [b] | 17,166 (September 2019) [7] | Light rail | 301 Ion light rail | 19 | 19 km (12 mi) | – | – |
Calgary Transit's CTrain network started operation on May 25, 1981. As of December 2023, [update] the CTrain has the second-highest weekday ridership of any light rail transit system in North America, surpassed only by Guadalajara light rail system in Mexico. The CTrain carried over 312,000 passengers per weekday in the fourth quarter of 2018. There are 45 stations in operation in the 60-kilometre (37 mi) CTrain system. [8] After starting by running on one leg in 1981, the system has expanded and now has four legs radiating out into Calgary's suburbs in different directions. The legs have been organized into two routes (identified as the Red Line and the Blue Line) that connect the four legs via shared tracks in a downtown transit mall. The existing four legs of the system, as built in chronological order, are the south leg (1981), the northeast leg (1985), the northwest leg (1987), and the west leg (2012).
The Edmonton Transit Service's LRT system consisted of only one line from its opening in 1978 to 2015. As of February 2024, [update] the system includes the original Capital Line; the Metro Line, sharing part of their route; and the Valley Line.
Extensions to the Capital, Metro, and Valley lines have been approved. The construction of two new lines, the Energy and Festival lines, has been proposed. [13]
Exo operates five commuter rail lines in Greater Montreal, including the Island of Montreal, Montreal, and South Shore. Each line terminates at Montreal Central Station or Lucien-L'Allier, both in downtown Montreal, with connections to the metro system. Most of the system is run on Canadian National or Canadian Pacific trackage. Exo formerly owned and operated the Mount Royal Tunnel and the Deux-Montagnes line until service was ended in 2020. The Réseau express métropolitain light metro system is set to take over the Mount Royal Tunnel and the Deux-Montagnes line.
The Montreal Metro is Canada's second-busiest rail transit system. Drawing inspiration from the Paris Métro, it uses rubber-tired metro technology, the only such system in Canada. The 69.2-kilometre (43.0 mi) system has 68 stations on four lines, which serve the north, east, and central portions of the Island of Montreal, as well as the suburbs of Laval and Longueuil. The metro began in 1966 with the east–west Green Line and the north–south Orange Line. [14] A series of expansions since 1966 have expanded the original lines and added the Yellow and Blue lines.
An eastward extension of the Blue Line began construction in 2022.
The O-Train began in 2001 as a light rail pilot project to supplement Ottawa's Transitway bus rapid transit system. This original line, now known as the Trillium Line, was relatively inexpensive to construct ($21 million) due to its single-track route along a little used freight-rail right-of-way and used diesel multiple units (DMUs) to avoid the cost of building overhead lines along the tracks. The Confederation Line opened in September 2019, replacing portions of the Transitway with an underground tunnel through downtown. [15] [16]
As of February 2024, [update] Stage 2 of Ottawa's O-Train expansion is under construction, which will expand the Confederation Line east and west and the Trillium Line south.
GO Transit operates commuter rail services in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, including the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Hamilton, Kitchener, Niagara, Oshawa, Barrie, and Guelph. Each of its seven lines terminate at Union Station in downtown Toronto. With 217,500 average weekday riders, it is Canada's busiest commuter rail service, and the fifth-busiest in North America. As of March 2024, [update] the GO Expansion project is underway and will bring electrification, new trackage, bridges, and tunnels to the system, allowing for two-way all-day service with 15-minute frequencies to sections of five of its lines.
GO Transit's parent agency, Metrolinx, also operates the Union Pearson Express, an airport rail link between Union Station and Toronto Pearson International Airport. It opened in advance of the 2015 Pan American Games, sharing most of its routing with GO's Kitchener line before travelling along a 3.3-kilometre (2.1 mi) rail spur to the airport. At the airport, the line connects with the Terminal Link, a free people mover transporting passenger between the airport's terminals and parking garage.
The Toronto Transit Commission's 70.5-kilometre (43.8 mi) subway is Canada's oldest rapid transit system, having opened as the "Yonge subway" in 1954. [18] It is also Canada's busiest system, with 1,603,300 average weekday riders. [19] It is an intermodal system, with three subway lines providing service to a total of 70 stations, the most of any Canadian system. The system connects each of Toronto's former municipalities, as well as the suburb of Vaughan.
Line 3 Scarborough was a light metro line which was in service from 1985 to 2023. [20] Line 5 Eglinton and Line 6 Finch West are both light rail lines under construction. The two lines will be fully integrated with the subway system upon their opening in 2024. [20]
Toronto also operates a streetcar system. Unlike light rail, the majority of the ten routes operate in mixed traffic and all make frequent stops. Three routes operate in a dedicated right-of-way:
The central section of the 504 King route runs along the King Street Transit Priority Corridor. The proposed East Bayfront LRT would be a fourth streetcar line operating in a dedicated right-of-way.
The West Coast Express is a commuter rail line operated by TransLink. The 69-kilometre (43 mi) line runs from Waterfront station in downtown Vancouver to Mission, with six stations in between. The line only operates during peak hours on weekdays, with five trains heading west in the morning rush hour and five heading east in the afternoon rush hour. It is Canada's least-used urban rail transit system. [19]
The SkyTrain is TransLink's fully-automated medium-capacity metro system. The system opened in 1985 for Expo 86. This original portion, now known as the Expo Line, had been joined by the Millennium and Canada lines, making it Canada's longest rapid transit system by track length, at 79.6 kilometres (49.5 mi). The system serves Vancouver and many of its surrounding municipalities in the Metro Vancouver Regional District.
The first phase of the 19-kilometre (12 mi) Ion LRT system runs from Conestoga station in the City of Waterloo to Fairway station in Kitchener. It opened to the public on June 21, 2019. [23] The system operates in reserved lanes on public streets and on private rights-of-way. Waterloo Region, Ontario, has also approved plans for a light rail extension to the Ainslie St. Transit Terminal in Cambridge, as phase two of Ion. [24]
| City or region | Line | Construction start | Expected opening | Stations | Line length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmonton | Valley Line West | 2021 | 2028 | 16 | 14 km (8.7 mi) | Under construction [25] |
| Edmonton | Capital Line South (phase 1) | 2024 | 2027 [26] | 2 | 4.5 km (2.8 mi) | Pre-construction [3] |
| Gatineau | Gatineau LRT | 2030 | 30 | 26 km (16 mi) | Proposed | |
| Hamilton | Hamilton LRT | 2024 [27] | 17 | 14 km (8.7 mi) | Planned | |
| Montreal | Réseau express métropolitain [a] | 2018 | 2023–2027 [c] | 26 | 67 km (42 mi) | Under construction |
| Montreal | Blue Line extension [a] | 2023 [28] | 2029 [29] | 5 | 6 km (3.7 mi) | Planned [28] |
| Ottawa | Confederation Line (Stage 2) [a] | 2019 | 2026–2027 | 16 [d] | 26.5 km (16.5 mi) [e] | Under construction [30] |
| Ottawa | Trillium Line (Stage 2) [a] | 2019 | 2025 | 8 [f] | 14 km (8.7 mi) [g] | Under construction [31] |
| Peel Region | Hurontario LRT | 2020 [32] | 2024 | 19 | 18 km (11 mi) [33] | Under construction |
| Quebec City | Quebec City Tramway | 2024 [34] | 2029 [34] | 29 | 19.3 km (12.0 mi) | Planned |
| Toronto | Line 5 Eglinton | 2011 | 2024 | 25 | 19 km (12 mi) | Under construction |
| Toronto | Line 5 (Eglinton West extension) | 2022 [35] | 2030 | 7 | 9.2 km (5.7 mi) | Under construction |
| Toronto | Line 6 Finch West | 2019 [32] | 2024 [36] | 18 | 11 km (6.8 mi) | Under construction |
| Toronto | Ontario Line [a] | 2023 | 2030 [37] | 15 | 15 km (9.3 mi) | Under construction |
| Toronto | Line 2 (Scarborough extension) [a] | 2021 | 2030 | 3 | 7.8 km (4.8 mi) | Under construction [38] |
| Toronto | Line 1 (Richmond Hill extension) [a] | 2024 | 2032 | 5 or 6 | 8 km (5.0 mi) | Planned [39] |
| Vancouver | Millennium Line (Broadway extension) [a] | 2021 | 2027 [40] | 6 | 5.7 km (3.5 mi) | Under construction [41] |
| Vancouver | Expo Line (Surrey–Langley extension) [a] | 2024 | 2029 [42] | 8 | 16 km (9.9 mi) [43] | Planned [44] |
Gatineau, Quebec is proposing a 26-kilometre (16 mi) LRT system that would connect with Ottawa's O-Train system. [45]
Hamilton's B-Line route, part of the region's BLAST rapid transit network, was a proposed light rail line to run east–west along King and Main streets, with McMaster University and Eastgate Square as its termini. [46] However, in announcing the financing for the line, the Government of Ontario changed the eastern terminus to Queenston Circle instead of Eastgate Square but added a branch to the new West Harbour GO Station. [47] After uncertainty among Hamilton's city council and poor ridership projections in provincially funded studies, the provincial government announced that they would abandon the spur line down James North and a previously announced BRT system along James in favour of reinstating Eastgate Square as the terminal station of the B-Line. [48] In December 2019, the Ontario government announced that the project would be abandoned, in part due to higher-than-anticipated costs. [49] In February 2021, the province reversed their decision and announced their re-commitment to the Hamilton light rail project, and in May 2021, federal funding was confirmed. [50]
In February 2020, the mayor of Longueuil, Quebec, proposed building a tramway in stages running east to west, from Hôpital Pierre Boucher in Longueuil to La Prairie. The proposed line would mostly run along a reconfigured Taschereau Boulevard passing Cégep Édouard-Montpetit, Longueuil station (terminus of the Yellow Line of the Montreal Metro), Hôpital Charles-LeMoyne and Panama station of the Réseau express métropolitain in Brossard. [51]
The Réseau express métropolitain is a light metro line under construction in Montreal. It is opening in phases, with the first section operating since July 2023. When completed, it will consist of a central section connecting to the Green, Orange, and Blue metro lines, with four branches with service to the North Shore, West Island, airport, and South Shore. [52]
The Hurontario LRT is a 17.6-kilometre (10.9 mi) light rail line under construction which is largely financed by Ontario provincial government. It will run on the surface along Hurontario Street from Port Credit GO Station in Mississauga to Steeles Avenue in Brampton. On October 28, 2015, Brampton City Council cancelled the proposed 5.6-kilometre (3.5 mi) section of the line along Main Street in Brampton to Brampton GO Station. [33] On March 21, 2019, Metrolinx announced that most of the downtown loop would be deferred to a later date due to financial restrictions, although a short spur to a stop at Square One Shopping Centre would remain. [53]
The Quebec City Tramway is a proposed light rail transit line in Quebec City. [34] It would link Beauport to Cap Rouge, passing through Quebec Parliament Hill. The 19-kilometre (12 mi) line would include a 1.8-kilometre (1.1 mi) underground segment, with the rest of the line being on the surface. [54]
Prior to the suspension, the municipal government had signed a contract for new trams from Alstom and another contract with the organization CSiT for operating and mobility systems. The city was unable to source a consortium to build the line as the sole remaining candidate would not provide project financing. Thus, at the end of October 2023, the city proposed to become the project manager to run the project. [55] In early November 2023, the province of Quebec suspended the project in order to have the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec do a six-month study to determine whether the tramway or some other public transit option would be the best solution. [56]
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The Green Line was a planned expansion of Calgary's light rail network that would have run from 160 avenue in North Calgary to Seton in Southeast Calgary. The initial segment of the line would have run between Eau Claire and Lynnwood/Millican, and would have been 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) long, with 7 stations. The full vision of the Green Line would have been 46 kilometres (29 mi) long, with 29 stations.
On September 3, 2024, City Council received a letter from Alberta Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen where he announced that the province would no longer provide its $1.5 billion portion of funding for the project, citing cost concerns, [57] as well as offering to procure a new alignment, which the province claims will cost less, while serving a greater area. Calgary City Council, unable to complete the project without the province's contribution, voted to wind down the project on September 17, 2024, despite $1.3 billion having already been spent to date, as well as having to spend an additional $850 million to wind it down. [58]
A 27-kilometre (17 mi) light rail network to consist of three lines radiating from SkyTrain stations had been proposed for construction in Surrey, British Columbia. The planned lines were: [59] [60]
The lines on 104 Avenue and King George Boulevard were to be built in seven years while the Surrey–Langley Line on the Fraser Highway would be finished five years later. [59] A report on the economic benefits of the project was produced by a consulting firm in May 2015. [61]
This project (among others major transit infrastructure initiatives, including the extension of the Millennium Line under Broadway in Vancouver) was originally made contingent, by the governing BC Liberal party, on the approval, by plebiscite in 2015, of a sales tax increase to generate new funds for public transit. The electorate voted against the tax increase, leaving the project unfunded. [62] Subsequently, the project was included in the second phase of TransLink's 10-Year Investment Plan, which was approved in late 2017. [63] [64] However, in 2018, more than 80 percent of the city's residents objected to the line and potential problems, prompting several parties to adopt its cancellation as part of their platform during that year's civic election. [65] A mayor and council who objected to the LRT were elected and their first order of business was to vote unanimously to cancel the LRT line in favour of extending the existing SkyTrain line to Langley, despite the lack of funding to do so. [66] The LRT was "indefinitely suspended" by the regional Mayors' Council on November 15. [67]
The Jane LRT was a proposed 16.5-kilometre (10.3 mi) light rail transit line that would have run along Jane Street from Jane station on Line 2 Bloor–Danforth to Pioneer Village station on Line 1 Yonge–University. It was cancelled by Rob Ford in December 2010. [68] [69]
The Sheppard East LRT was a proposed 13-kilometre (8.1 mi) light rail transit line that would have run along the surface of Sheppard Avenue from Don Mills subway station to east of Morningside Avenue. [70] It was cancelled in April 2019 by the Ontario provincial government under Premier Doug Ford in favour of a Line 4 Sheppard subway extension. [71]
In August 2011, Victoria Regional Transit System announced that light rail transit was recommended as the preferred technology to connect Victoria to Saanich and the West Shore communities. [72] [73] In 2018, British Columbia premier John Horgan rejected the idea of light rail service in the Victoria area, arguing that the area's low population would not justify light rail. [74] A bus rapid transit system, Blink RapidBus, is being implemented instead. [75]
Line 3 Scarborough, originally known as Scarborough RT (SRT), is a defunct medium-capacity rapid transit line that was part of the Toronto subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The line ran entirely within the eastern district of Scarborough, encompassing six stations and 6.4 kilometres (4.0 mi) of mostly elevated track. It connected with Line 2 Bloor–Danforth at its southwestern terminus, Kennedy, and terminated in the northeast at McCowan. Until its closure in July 2023, the system had a ridership of 3,908,000 per year.
Innovia Metro is an automated rapid transit system manufactured by Alstom. Innovia Metro systems run on conventional metal rails and pull power from a third rail but are powered by a linear induction motor that provides traction by using magnetic force to pull on a "fourth rail" placed between the running rails. However, newer versions of the technology are available with standard electric rotary propulsion.
Line 4 Sheppard is the newest and shortest rapid transit line of the Toronto subway system, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It opened on November 22, 2002, and has five stations along 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) of track, which is built without any open sections in the district of North York along Sheppard Avenue East between Yonge Street and Don Mills Road. All stations are wheelchair accessible and are decorated with unique public art.
The Toronto subway is a rapid transit system serving Toronto and the neighbouring city of Vaughan in Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). The subway system is a rail network consisting of three heavy-capacity rail lines operating predominantly underground. As of December 2024, three new lines are under construction: two light rail lines and one heavy rail line.
CTrain is a light rail system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Much of the system functions as a high-capacity light metro, while in the downtown free-fare zone, trains run like a modern tram with a dedicated right-of-way. This subway-surface alignment is known as semi-metro.
An elevated railway or elevated train is a railway with the tracks above street level on a viaduct or other elevated structure. The railway may be broad-gauge, standard-gauge or narrow-gauge railway, light rail, monorail, or a suspension railway. Elevated railways are normally found in urban areas where there would otherwise be multiple level crossings. Usually, the tracks of elevated railways that run on steel viaducts can be seen from street level.
Transportation in Vancouver, British Columbia, has many of the features of modern cities worldwide. Unlike many large metropolises, Vancouver has no freeways into or through the downtown area. A proposed freeway through the downtown was rejected in the 1960s by a coalition of citizens, community leaders and planners. This event "signalled the emergence of a new concept of the urban landscape" and has been a consistent element of the city's planning ever since.
Edmonton Light Rail Transit, commonly referred to as the LRT, is a light rail system in Edmonton, Alberta. Part of the Edmonton Transit Service (ETS), the system has 29 stations on three lines and 37.4 km (23.2 mi) of track. Much of the system has a dedicated right-of-way, while in the downtown area, vehicles run underground. This subway-surface alignment is known as semi-metro. As of 2018, it was number seven on a list of the busiest light rail transit systems in North America, with over 113,000 daily weekday riders.
Light rail is a commonly used mode of public transit in North America. The term light rail was coined in 1972 by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration to describe new streetcar transformations which were taking place in Europe and the United States. The Germans used the term Stadtbahn, which is the predecessor to North American light rail, to describe the concept, and many in UMTA wanted to adopt the direct translation, which is city rail. However, in its reports, UMTA finally adopted the term light rail instead.
Transit City was a plan for developing public transport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was first proposed and announced on 16 March 2007 by Toronto mayor David Miller and Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) chair Adam Giambrone. The plan called for the construction of seven new light rail lines along the streets of seven priority transit corridors, which would have eventually been integrated with existing rapid transit, streetcar, and bus routes. Other transit improvements outlined in the plan included upgrading and extending the Scarborough RT line, implementing new bus rapid transit lines, and improving frequency and timing of 21 key bus routes. The plan integrated public transportation objectives outlined in the City of Toronto Official Plan, the TTC Ridership Growth Strategy and Miller's 2006 election platform.
The Don Mills LRT was a proposed light rail line in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was part of the Transit City proposal announced March 16, 2007, to be operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It was expected to cost approximately $675 million, with construction to begin in 2012, and an expected opening in 2016. It would have been the fifth of the seven Transit City lines to be complete after the Sheppard East, Finch West, Waterfront West, and Eglinton lines. Ridership was estimated to be 21.2 million trips in 2021.
The Sheppard East LRT was a proposed light rail line in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was first announced as part of the Transit City proposal in 2007. The Sheppard East LRT as proposed was to be 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) long, travel along Sheppard Avenue from Don Mills subway station to east of Morningside Avenue, and be operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).
The Eglinton East LRT (EELRT), also known as Line 7 Eglinton East and formerly known as the Scarborough Malvern LRT, is a proposed light rail line in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The line would be entirely within the district of Scarborough. It was originally part of Transit City, a 2007 plan to develop new light rail lines along several priority transit corridors in the city.
Public transportation in the Canadian city of Toronto dates back to 1849 with the creation of a horse-drawn stagecoach company. Today, Toronto's mass transit is primarily made up of a system of subways, buses, and streetcars, covering approximately 1,200 km (750 mi) of routes operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and inter-regional commuter rail and bus service provided by GO Transit.
The O-Train is a light rail rapid transit system in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, operated by OC Transpo. The system consists of two lines: the electrically-operated Confederation Line, running east to west, and the diesel-operated Trillium Line, running north to south. Both lines are currently being extended as part of the Stage 2 project, with new segments being phased in between 2025 and 2027.
The Surrey Light Rail system was a planned 10.5-kilometre (6.5 mi) network in Surrey, British Columbia containing one light rail line radiating from the Surrey Central SkyTrain station and transit hub. First proposed in 2012 by Surrey mayor Dianne Watts, construction on the project was planned to start in 2019 with an opening date set for 2024. At the inauguration of the new Surrey City Council on November 5, 2018, and after a change of municipal leadership, the newly installed council unanimously voted to "indefinitely suspend" the project in favour of an extension of the SkyTrain Expo Line to Langley Centre.
The Big Move is a regional transportation plan (RTP) published in 2008 and consisting of 62 rapid transit projects to be implemented across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). These rapid transit projects are intended to form a seamlessly integrated regional rapid transit network, which is the first priority action in the regional transportation plan. These projects form two long-term templates with 15 and 25 year horizons. These templates outline broad projects; specific details about technology, alignment, stations and service levels for each project are subsequently determined though a cost–benefit analysis or an environmental assessment process.
The transport infrastructure and services in the Canadian city of Mississauga, Ontario include provincial highways and municipal roads, passenger and freight rail, regional and municipal bus service, and an international airport. It is interconnected with air, road, and rail transportation networks spanning the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.
The Blue Line, also known as Route 202, is a light rail transit (LRT) line in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Partnered with the Red Line, and future Green Line it makes up Calgary's CTrain network. Following its initial approval in 1976, the Red Line opened in 1981, with the first trains running on what is now the Blue Line in 1985.
The first of the Flexity Freedom LRV are due to be delivered in mid-2016, and will be used on the 19km, 16-station line from Conestoga Mall in Waterloo to Fairview Park Mall in Kitchener. The $C 92.4m ($US 89.2m) contract will include an option for 16 additional vehicles.
