Onwards to Cambridge!

Last night, Regional Council formally adopted its decision to extend ION to Cambridge! At the November 4 committee meeting, councillors had voted 15 to 1 for ION to be extended as light rail, for the extension to go all the way to downtown Cambridge, and for staff to seek full provincial and federal funding for the development of ION stage 2.

This is of course just the beginning, and a lot of work from staff, councillors, and members of the public is needed to advocate so we get that funding. But this is a huge milestone and vote of confidence in the ION program.

Themes from council meetings

We livetweeted the November 4 committee discussion and today’s council meeting. The committee decision was covered by local media, which as usual paid special attention to the opposition – which was firmly in the minority on this issue. Overwhelmingly, the survey and poll results indicated public support for ION light rail extension, the presentations were in favour, and councillors voted for the staff recommendation. Mayor Jan Liggett of Cambridge was the lone vote against, while the two at-large regional councillors from Cambridge countered her points and spoke in favour.

Some of the substantive concerns about ION from several delegations and Cambridge Mayor Liggett were around high costs and potential cost overruns, and the impact on Hespeler Road lanes in particular. There were general worries expressed around whether Cambridge can or should change to be more transit-oriented.

However, there was broad support on many dimensions in statements from councillors from across the region and across the political spectrum, and presentations from a number of individuals and a wide variety of organizations. Here are some of the themes:

Building for the future. ION reflects a long-term vision by our regional government across multiple councils. It’s an investment in mobility for the future. We can’t keep growing around cars, and ION helps with growing the region up and not out.

Accessibility. ION trains improve the accessibility of transit, through barrier free boarding, easy navigation of stations, and accessibility features on platforms.

Connectivity. A seamless light rail extension of the ION line to Cambridge will improve connections between Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge. It will make it easier for people to get to work and school, improve social connections, and make events more accessible. And ION light rail will better connect Cambridge to the all-day GO rail service that will be coming to the Kitchener Central transit hub.

Success. ION is one of the best new transit projects in the country and the overwhelming support in Kitchener-Waterloo for it is a vote of confidence in extending it. As far as operating costs, it is the best performing route on the GRT network.

Rail is a commitment. The permanence of light rail infrastructure signifies a commitment that people can depend on for moving to the ION corridor and businesses can depend on for investing along the line. And having an urban rail system puts our cities on the map.

Economic development. ION doesn’t just attract investment so we build up and not out, it also attracts more of it to the Region. Having a modern, future-looking transportation system makes Waterloo Region a more attractive and better connected place for people to live, work, and visit. Upper level governments have funds to make similar investments in other communities, so if we don’t have a good way to make use of them, we’ll miss out.

Funding and budgets

This vote now empowers staff to start preliminary works like heritage assessments, some utility relocation, detailed design, and land acquisition. There is a 2026 budget request (p. 101) to expand the ION Stage 2 team with full-time project manager and project coordinator roles.

Now, the next big challenge is securing the upper-level funding that will enable large-scale work to begin in earnest. We will be using this space to share more about costs and procurement, and to help push for effective and cost-efficient ION project delivery. Our hope is that we can leverage this project not just to extend the one ION line, but to establish a program that has the competence and funding to keep building high-quality transit in Waterloo Region.

Before all of that is the 2026 Regional budget, discussions for which are currently underway. And those discussions are worrying! It’s a tough pre-election budget year, with a wrench thrown in the works by a drastic reduction in Conestoga College student ridership, so some adjustments are understandable.

Earlier this year, the Region adopted an ambitious and exciting new GRT Business Plan, which includes express routes, overnight service, expanded township service, and most importantly a frequent service network. This is the kind of plan that can seriously move the needle on transit use across the region, and help make ION expansion a success. However, the first budget after its adoption makes little progress on the business plan, and in fact, reduces frequency on certain routes. We’d like to see staff and council find creative ways to make progress towards the GRT Business Plan goals within budgetary constraints.

Furthermore, councillors are again floating an idea to put ad wraps on ION trains, something that was rejected after public outcry when it came up two years ago. We don’t believe any transit vehicles should have their windows covered with ads, but it’s especially counterproductive to put ads on the ION whose success depends on how well it can attract people to live and invest along its corridor. ION trains are smooth and clean, and have fantastic large windows. Trying to make a few bucks at the expense of ION meeting its strategic goals doesn’t make sense.

Now that the Region of Waterloo is looking for provincial and federal funding for ION, it needs to show that it can put its money where its mouth is on transit expansion. You can tell GRT what you think about the 2026 budget and provide budget feedback to Regional Council.