Big Move (Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area)

Big Move (Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area)
Name	Big Move
Region	Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area
Country	Canada
Launched	2008
Agency	Metrolinx
Type	Regional transportation plan
Status	Active

Big Move (Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area) is a regional transportation plan produced for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area by Metrolinx that sets out a 25-year strategy for transit, GO Transit, and transportation networks across Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, Oakville, Burlington, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, and surrounding municipalities. The plan integrates rapid transit proposals, highway integration, and active transportation priorities to support growth projected by Province of Ontario, align with provincial infrastructure programs such as Big Move (Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area)-era initiatives, and coordinate with agencies including Toronto Transit Commission, York Region Transit, and Durham Region Transit.

Overview

The Big Move defines a regional rapid transit network, fare integration, and infrastructure investments intended to connect nodes like Union Station, Pearson International Airport, York University, Unionville GO Station, and Hamilton GO Centre while coordinating with projects such as Eglinton Crosstown LRT, Sheppard East LRT, Scarborough RT, Union Pearson Express, and Kitchener GO Expansion. It frames objectives in relation to provincial priorities set by Ontario Ministry of Transportation, urban strategies from City of Toronto, and regional growth forecasts from Places to Grow Act-influenced planning around Greater Golden Horseshoe development corridors.

History and Development

Metrolinx, created under the Metrolinx Act, released the Big Move in 2008 after consultations with municipal partners including City of Hamilton, City of Mississauga, Town of Milton, and agencies such as GO Transit, Toronto Transit Commission, York Region Transit, Brampton Transit, and Transit Windsor stakeholders. The plan evolved through alignment with projects like Eglinton Crosstown, adaptations following the 2010 G20 Toronto summit infrastructure focus, and later provincial initiatives under premiers from McGuinty, Wynne, to Doug Ford. Major updates responded to federal programs including investments from the Government of Canada and coordination with crown agencies like Infrastructure Ontario.

Governance and Funding

Governance of Big Move implementation rests with Metrolinx, overseen by board appointments tied to the Province of Ontario and coordinated with municipal councils of Toronto City Council, Peel Region, Halton Region, York Region, and Durham Region. Funding mechanisms have included provincial allocations through the Moving Ontario Forward fund, federal contributions from budgets under Justin Trudeau and Stephen Harper, and municipal revenue instruments such as dedicated sources debated in relation to Toronto Transit Commission capital budgets and local levy actions by councils. Contested proposals have referenced funding models like value capture, development charges administered under Ontario statutes connected to projects supported by Infrastructure Ontario and provincial treasury executives.

Planned and Completed Projects

The Big Move list mixes completed projects—UP Express (Union Pearson Express), sections of Sheppard Subway, and segments of Scarborough RT conversions—with extensive planned schemes such as Regional Express Rail (RER) enhancements to Kitchener GO, Barrie GO, Lakeshore West GO, and Stouffville GO, light rail and bus rapid transit proposals including Hurontario LRT, Viva Rapid Transit, and the proposed Downtown Relief Line extensions connecting Kensington Market area to East Bayfront and Finch Avenue. Projects interface with provincial highway upgrades on Highway 401, transit-oriented development near Union Station, and airport links involving Pearson International Airport and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport ferry connections.

Implementation Phases and Timelines

Metrolinx organized Big Move deployment into short-, medium-, and long-term projects with staged milestones tied to funding windows and procurement frameworks managed by Infrastructure Ontario and provincial procurement ministers. Timelines have been adjusted across administrations—initial 25-year horizons have been reframed around near-term RER rollouts, milestone deliveries like the Eglinton Crosstown opening phases, and procurement for projects such as Ontario Line and extensions of Line 1 Yonge–University. Coordination with municipal capital plans from City of Toronto and regional governments shaped sequencing around environmental assessments regulated by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act predecessor frameworks.

Ridership, Impact, and Performance

Performance assessments reference ridership metrics for GO Transit and Toronto Transit Commission routes influenced by Big Move infrastructure, with observed increases on corridors served by Viva, UP Express, and new LRT sections. Impact analyses consider congestion relief on arterial routes including Yonge Street and Highway 403, modal shifts from private automobile travel documented in commuter surveys linked to Statistics Canada datasets, and land-use changes around mobility hubs such as Mississauga City Centre, Brampton Gateway Terminal, and Scarborough Town Centre. Economic assessments cite productivity benefits aligned with regional plans like Places to Grow Act projections and coordination with provincial growth strategies.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics have raised issues about funding certainty under successive provincial administrations including policy reversals associated with figures like Doug Ford and controversies over project choices such as cancellation or alteration of the Sheppard East LRT and debates around the priority of highway versus transit investments on corridors including Highway 407. Other controversies involve procurement practices overseen by Infrastructure Ontario, community opposition in neighborhoods affected by alignments through Roncesvalles and North York, and scrutiny from municipal politicians in bodies like Toronto City Council and Halton Regional Council over fairness of distribution and impacts on local development charges.

Category:Transportation in the Greater Toronto Area