Create strong linkages between all modes of transportation for people and goods.
To plan, prepare and advance all GO expansion advocacy, and develop a comprehensive business case seeking commitment from the Government of Ontario to expand daily GO train service to Niagara with stops in Grimsby, St. Catharines and Niagara Falls.
Council established the GO Implementation Office to coordinate, manage, and positively influence their relationship with Metrolinx and local area municipalities and accelerate project timelines. Significant success of this model has been achieved with local municipalities in landing coordinated functional station designs (precursor for detail design), accelerated service plan, ridership studies and project direction with Metrolinx leadership.
Additionally, significant advocacy and a comprehensive business case has led to the following:
The GO Implementation Office will continue utilizing and resourcing the dedicated project model to enable acceleration of the opening day implementation timelines for 2021-2023.
To plan for transit-supportive development around Niagara's GO station sites in Grimsby, St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, and for the potential future GO station site in Beamsville. Study components for each station area includes: creation of a secondary plan land use policy framework, completion of a transportation analysis and land value market analysis, and identification of infrastructure improvements to accommodate pressures associated with anticipated growth.
Secondary plan recommendations for policy and guidance to achieve:
Regional staff will continue to work with local area municipalities to review and plan for implementation of zoning by-laws for secondary plans.
The Niagara Greater Toronto Area East Corridor will connect Highway 406 to QEW (Fort Erie) and form a key link in the Niagara-Hamilton Trade Corridor as proposed in the Transportation Master Plan.
The Niagara Greater Toronto Area East Corridor would provide additional capacity and network redundancy for the movement of goods through Niagara.
The National Trade Corridors Fund, announced by the federal government will:
Niagara Region to continue to advocate for Niagara-Hamilton Trade Corridor with provincial and federal partners.
The Transportation Master Plan will provide Niagara Region with guidance and strategic vision for transportation and its implications over the next 25 years, and plan to:
The Transportation Master Plan and development charges identified estimated capital costs for a recommended 2041 network road capacity improvements of $494 million and $25.8 million for active transportation infill projects.
The local area municipalities and members of the public support the Transportation Master Plan process and endorse the following:
The Transportation Master Plan provides an action plan to implement the recommendations identified. Early actions have been identified and are in progress. Additional support by the Region is needed to implement long-term actions.
To deliver reports to the Transportation Strategy Steering Committee, outlining for each the Niagara District Airport and Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport, the governance and funding options available, financial viability and risks, and recommendations for a potential Regional role in the operation and funding.
The following outcomes have been achieved as a result of the Airport Study for the two phases:
Phase 1 Highlights
Phase 2 Highlights
To collaborate with the mayors, CAOs and transit managers from St. Catharines, Welland and Niagara Falls, with support from the regional chair and CAO, on strategic recommendations for the improvement of transit services throughout Niagara.
Established permanent Niagara Region-funded inter-municipal transit service. Established Linking Niagara Transit Committee to provide guidance and direction to Inter-municipal Transit Working Group. The working group continues to pursue every opportunity to harmonize, integrate and enhance the transit rider experience including:
Under the direction of the Linking Niagara Transit Committee, the Inter-municipal Transit Working Group will be focused on advancing a number of key enabling actions including but not limited to:
To support the Port Robinson Ferry service as part of active transportation and to grow cycling tourism in Niagara.
The City of Thorold signed an 11 year lease agreement with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.
The ferry ridership was declining in previous years. In 2017, following the infrastructure upgrades, marketing and promotion (Bridge-it campaign by the Port Robinson Ferry Committee), the ridership has increased significantly.
The ferry is an important element in growing bicycle tourism in Niagara, particularly for the growth of bicyclists coming from outside of the region using the GO Train.
Ongoing support for the Port Robinson Ferry is committed with a 10-year funding plan for ferry operations.