Moving People and Goods

moving people and goods icon

Create strong linkages between all modes of transportation for people and goods.

  • People need reliable and effective transportation modes that allow them to easily move from where they live to places such as work, leisure, health care, and education
  • Similarly, the inter-connectedness, along with ease of use and efficiency of various types of transportation is essential for the movement of goods to support businesses to employ, locate, invest, and expand in existing and new markets

Focused Projects

  • Provincial commitment to GO rail expansion (2015)
    • In July 2016, as a direct result of concerted, strategic and unified advocacy from Niagara's entire community, the Province of Ontario announced expansion of daily commuter GO rail service to Niagara Falls (with additional stops in Grimsby and St. Catharines)
    • GO Rail service will be extended to Grimsby by 2021, and to St. Catharines and Niagara Falls by 2023
    • Regional Council has approved $40 million towards Niagara's required one-third local capital contribution toward the project
    • The GO Rail Working Group (five Niagara Mayors, the Regional Chair, and six Niagara CAOs) continue to work closely with Metrolinx and Niagara's area municipalities as the project moves to the planning, design and construction stage of implementation
  • Mobility hub study (2016)
    • Provide residents and visitors with seamless access to all modes of transportation, and promote urban environments with compact and sustainable growth
    • Niagara Region will fund and initiate, in consultation with Metrolinx, a mobility hub study for four local hubs (St. Catharines, Grimsby, Niagara Falls and Beamsville) to focus on full connectivity with expanded GO rail service
  • Provincial commitment to planning for an NGTA corridor (2016)
    • Through a charter agreement, Niagara Region has been working with Hamilton, Halton, Peel and Waterloo Region to advocate for a Niagara-GTA corridor as an alternate route to the QEW, connecting Fort Erie to the GTA through south Niagara (previously known as the Mid-Peninsula highway)
    • The Province has completed two studies titled "Environmental Assessment - Transportation Development Strategy" for Niagara to GTA corridor and the GTA west corridor
    • The Province has made commitment to and is advancing the GTA west corridor project through Peel and (while continuing to advocate for the entire corridor) we are pursuing similar commitments to the east section of the Niagara to GTA corridor that connects Highway 406 to the QEW
  • Transportation Master Plan (2017)
    • The Transportation Master Plan will be a cornerstone document that identifies and leverages the greatest opportunities for Niagara related to roads, rails, transit, marine, air and active transportation
  • Airports Study

    There are two publicly owned airports in Niagara, each operated by its own commission:

    • Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport in Pelham, which is supported financially by Welland, Port Colborne, Pelham and Wainfleet
    • Niagara District Airport in Niagara-on-the-Lake which is supported financially by St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake

    In June and July of 2015, the two commissions and local municipalities that fund the airports passed similar motions asking that the Region assume, or consider assuming, operations of the airports.

    In response, final airport studies reports were presented to the Transportation Steering Committee and Council, including governance and funding options available, and relevant considerations, such as financial, operational, legal and risk.

    Discussions are ongoing with current funding partners to determine next steps related to the Region's request to have Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessments prepared.

  • Support municipalities in developing a long-term solution for transit

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