Just weeks before a snap election called by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, his government has pledged to support the construction of “GO 2.0” within the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

PC candidate Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, made the announcement in Brampton on Thursday, promising that a re-elected PC government will support the construction of GO 2.0, leading to three new GO lines, 23 new GO stations, and 100 KM of new track.

“GO 2.0 is a transformational project that will ease gridlock and bring millions of people closer to convenient transit in some of our fastest-growing communities,” Sarkaria noted. “With the threat of President Trump’s tariffs continuing to hurt investment and create uncertainty in our province, projects like these that will keep people working and support our economy are more important than ever. Only our Ontario PC team has the vision and drive to get this project done, creating new jobs and opportunities for Ontario workers and delivering the high-quality regional transit that the GGH needs.”

A re-elected PC government will support the construction of GO 2.0!

This historic investment will support the creation of:
🔹3 new GO lines
🔹23 new GO stations
🔹100 KMs of new tracks

GO 2.0 will ease gridlock and bring millions of people closer to convenient transit.

Under… pic.twitter.com/qYECQHiUIR

— Prabmeet Sarkaria (@PrabSarkaria) February 6, 2025

Sarkaria said that a re-elected Ford government would work in partnership with the federal government, the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), and Canadian National (CN) to build a freight rail bypass along the Highway 407 corridor in Peel Region — this would essentially be good for Toronto as freight traffic would be diverted from the city’s core and there’d be less congestion on rail lines within the city.

Sarkaria added that GO 2.0 would enable expanded two-way, all-day service for Milton and Kitchener since the GO lines in these cities are especially impacted by freight traffic.

“With dozens of new stations, it would add convenient connections to existing transit systems across the region, while also helping secure good-paying jobs for Ontario workers in the face of President Trump’s tariff threats.”

In addition to a line running through midtown Toronto, commuters are being told they can expect a line from Bolton to Union Station (via Woodbridge and Etobicoke), as well as extensions and improvements to existing lines, like Richmond Hill.

But some Torontonians are skeptical.

“Unfortunately no detail. Where are the new stations? If we know there will be 23, we must have a sense of location,” one X user stated, while others demanded a timeline for GO 2.0.

“What are the PC Party’s expected project timelines for this? Should we expect mid-2030 or early 2040s (assuming plans are approved)? How quickly could we go from plans to shovels?”

I’d say don’t expect ANYTHING. These projects are desperately needed, but the amound of capital, negotiations and time needed seems impossible.

Negotating CN and CPKC for Midtown, Missing Link, Milton Line, KItchener Line, Bolton Line, all don’t seem feesible.

— B Schneider (@Billylol6) February 6, 2025

You can read more about the PC plan here. As for transit promises from other parties: The provincial Liberals, if elected, promise to install platform doors in all TTC subway stations, hire an additional 300 special constables (total) for TTC, OC Transpo, Metrolinx and other major transit service providers across Ontario, as well as provide transit services with operational funding for safety equipment like cameras.

The NDP is focusing on supporting renters by legalizing more housing, like fourplexes and four-storey multiplex apartments in all neighbourhoods, as well as midrise apartments along transit corridors as-of-right (without the need for special approvals/rezoning).

Ontarians head to the polls on Feb 27, 2025.