The long planned, but delayed Airport Rail Link, which was awarded to SNC Lavalin, has been transferred to Metrolinx.

News reports SNC Lavalin failed to raise the funds necessary (from Lenders) to proceed with the project. Now it will be a Taxpayer project.

The Airport Rail link will utilize the same rail line that the North Mainline trains take to Toronto, and may provide our regions a direct rail connection to the Airport.

- Steve

http://www.news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2010/06/largest-transit-expansion-in-waterloo-history.html

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Ontario is providing the Region of Waterloo with $300 million to build rapid transit.

The project would be the largest single investment in transit infrastructure in the history of Waterloo region and includes light rail transit in both Waterloo and Kitchener, and bus rapid transit in Cambridge.

These transit improvements will:

• better connect the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge

• link to Grand River Transit and park and ride facilities

• connect to future GO Transit services. “

From the Guelph Mercury, June 29:

GUELPH – The city will expropriate about four parking spaces’ worth of land from a downtown hotel if it is not able to amicably reach an agreement on the property, city councillors voted last night. At issue is a 571-square-foot triangular parcel of the Travelodge parking lot, at the intersection of Carden and Macdonell streets. The city needs it to realign Carden Street and create two bus bays adjacent to the hotel as part of the construction of an intermodal transit hub along the eastern end of Carden. Council also voted to enter agreements with Via Rail to acquire the train station and with Canadian National Railway to acquire the land under the train station as well as the former site of Locomotive 6167, which was recently moved to the south side of the tracks. A staff report noted the Via station will require upgrades and renovations to, among other things, make it fully accessible and create Guelph Transit office space and a drivers’ lunch room. These renovations are expected to cost about $600,000 which will be funded from an infrastructure stimulus fund contingency, if available, “otherwise staff will identify an alternative source of funding such as the Hydro note fund,” the staff report indicated.