The Ontario government is conducting public consultations leading up to its 2024 Budget, expected in March, 2024. Transport Action Ontario has made a written submission on public transportation needs, with eight recommendations:
Make Community Transportation Grants permanent
Use a partnership approach on regional passenger rail outside the Greater Golden Horseshoe
Work with CN to upgrade track for new “Northlander” train
Support shortline rail with track maintenance tax credit
Introduce provincial banking of discontinued rail corridors, i.e. “rail bank”
Do a deep dive into capital costs and procurement model for rapid transit in Ontario
Cancel Highway 413
Scope new revenue tools for municipal government, and on congestion/road pricing
Cost escalation for rail transit projects in Canada is a growing concern. In a ground-breaking report in 2020, transit researcher Stephen Wickens tabulated the unit cost of completed and under-construction projects in Toronto and found a seven-fold increase since 2005, after accounting for inflation. Wickens presented this research at our Transport Action Ontario (TAO) Annual General Meeting on October 24, 2020 – see details and recording.
Wickens’ work has been picked up an amplified by others, who have raised similar alarms. In December, 2003, TAO raised this issue with Taylor Bachrach, MP and Transportation critic for the federal NDP. We agreed to send him a briefing note that can hopefully be used to initiate an investigation by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TRAN).
The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) has initiated a campaign to urge Ontario to create a Shortline Track Maintenance Tax Credit in Budget 2024, similar to what has been adopted in other jurisdictions.
Transport Action Ontario has long supported the idea of government support of shortline railways, which perform an essential role in economic activity and environmental sustainability. We are pleased to support this campaign. Our letter to the provincial government is attached below.
As discussed in our posting of June 5, 2023, MTO has set up a Technical Advisory Committee, led by Arcadis/IBI, to further develop its draft Southwestern Ontario Transportation Plan.
The Tenchical Advisory Committee held its second meeting on December 6, 2023.
Transport Action Ontario again participated actively in this meeting and subsequently provided detailed comments. These can be viewed below.
InterCity Bus, a new company in Southwestern Ontario’s motorcoach market which launched with London to Toronto services earlier this year, is extending its network to Sarnia starting on December 18, 2023.
The service is launching with three round trips per day, serving Sarnia’s Bayside Transit Terminal and the transit interchange at Murphy Road, making a stop in Strathroy (Tim Hortons, 28630 Centre Road) and arriving in London at the Intercity Bus Terminal, where connections can be made with services to Woodstock, Kitchener, Toronto Pearson Airport (T1), and downtown Toronto (44 York Street, outside Union Station).
London Bus Terminal
Intercity Bus leased and reopened the former Greyhound bus terminal at 101 York Street in London as its base of operations, providing comfortable place to wait for buses and make connections, with a customer service counter and washrooms.
For passengers making connections with train services, the VIA Rail station is about a five minute walk away.
Fares and Schedules
Fares between Sarnia and London start at $24.85 including tax, Sarnia to Toronto is $57.52. Two suitcases will be carried free of charge, additional bags are $5, and bicycles may be transported for $15.
Tickets can be booked online at intercitybus.ca, by phone (519) 719-9237, in person at the London terminal, and through busbud.com. Drivers will also accept cash if seats are available, although exact change is required.
London to Sarnia
Bus Stop
Trip 1
Trip 2
Trip 3
London – Intercity Bus Terminal
4:50 AM
9:00 AM
4:15 PM
Strathroy – Tim Hortons
5:25 AM
9:35 AM
4:55 PM
Sarnia – Real Canadian Superstore
6:05 AM
10:20 AM
5:35 PM
Sarnia – Bayside Terminal
6:15 AM
10:30 AM
5:40 PM
Sarnia to London
Bus Stop
Trip 1
Trip 2
Trip 3
Sarnia – Bayside Terminal
6:25 AM
10:45 AM
5:55 PM
Sarnia – Real Canadian Superstore
6:35 AM
10:55 AM
6:05 PM
Strathroy – Tim Hortons
7:15 AM
11:35 AM
6:45 PM
London – Intercity Bus Terminal
7:55 AM
12:15 PM
7:20 PM
Schedule as of December 18, 2023
Rebuilding Southwestern Ontario’s Network
Combined with the Sarnia-London intercommunity bus, which also makes stops in Mount Brydges and Komoka, there are now six daily bus trips, plus the single VIA Rail round trip between Sarnia and London. At London, in addition to motorcoach and rail connections to Toronto, several other intercommunity bus routes are available (see Southwest Community Transit). However, the future of these vital intercommunity services beyond 2025 has yet to be confirmed by the Ontario government.
IntercityBus also has future plans to add a service between London and St. Thomas, a route that has lacked public transportation since the collapse of the of Abouttown Northlink bus network in 2013.
Transport Action Ontario would like to see London serve as a regional mobility hub, with a combined station for motorcoach services, intercommunity bus, passenger rail, and easy connections to London Transit.
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