What to know
- Construction for the Hazel McCallion LRT, an 18-kilometre line with 19 stops connecting Mississauga and Brampton, began in 2020 with no confirmed opening date.
- Metrolinx is holding ongoing discussions with municipalities about implementing transit signal priority (TSP) to improve LRT speeds, following concerns raised with Toronto’s Finch West LRT.
- As of November, nine of the 19 stations have been built, but details on how TSP will be applied remain unclear.
- In Toronto, Mayor Olivia Chow and TTC Chair Jamaal Myers are pushing for stronger TSP measures on the city’s LRT and streetcar networks to improve speed and reliability.
As Peel Region continues to wait for the completion of the Hazel McCallion LRT, Metrolinx says discussions are ongoing over transit signal priority (TSP), an issue that recently drew criticism with Toronto’s Finch West LRT.
The Hazel McCallion LRT is an 18-kilometre rapid transit line with 19 stops along Hurontario, connecting Mississauga to Brampton.
Construction for the line began in 2020 with an original opening planned for 2024, but up to date, the LRT has yet to be opened, with a new launch date still unconfirmed.
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Last week, Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency overseeing the line, opened the Finch West LRT in Toronto alongside the TTC. However, the project has already received criticism from riders and city officials over slow speeds, attributed in part to the absence of TSP, especially at intersections.
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In response to these concerns, Metrolinx confirmed to Now Toronto on Wednesday that the Hazel McCallion LRT is intended to operate with TSP to ensure faster service, though the agency did not provide details on how it will be implemented.
“Conversations are ongoing with the municipalities regarding the transit signal operating plan,” Metrolinx said in a statement.
Now Toronto reached out to Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish for comment on the transit signal priority discussions but did not receive a response in time for publication.
As of November, construction for nine of the line’s 19 stations has been concluded, but Metrolinx has not yet announced an official opening date.
In Toronto, Mayor Olivia Chow has pledged to introduce a motion at city council to implement active transit signal priority across both the LRT and streetcar networks in light of the West Finch LRT’s slow speed criticism.
TTC Chair Jamaal Myers also plans to present a motion at this week’s board meeting calling on the city, TTC, and Metrolinx to improve LRT speed and frequency, including stronger transit signal priority measures.
