‘They deserve to know’: Cambridge transit plans missing details for LRT, ION

City councillors in Cambridge are feeling like they’ve missed their stop as a new Grand River Transit (GRT) business plan has left out key details for the ION Stage 2, along with the Cambridge to Guelph rail line.

It all came during a presentation to council, which discussed the near future of the city’s transit. It included plans for more frequent buses, better service for some surrounding areas of the municipality, added overnight routes and more.

Once the plans were laid out, councillors were quick to point out the portions of the plans that they thought were more urgently required by communities throughout the city.

Councillor Adam Cooper said the ION and the light rail between Cambridge and Guelph, said he was confused why there weren’t any details in the plan at all, saying that residents in the city deserve better communication.

“Residents in Cambridge, they need to know if we are going to get it, then what kind of form, and when can that be given,” said Cooper. “If not, then I think they also deserve to know that too.”

Regional staff said the main reasoning for the delays is due to cost, and notably, where those funds will be directed, with the developments set to cost around $4.5 billion.

“The Stage 1 project was funded a third, a third, a third by the federal government, the province, and the region. We would seek a similar funding arrangement for Stage 2,” said regional staff. “We’re doing some work now in terms of the cost comparisons, cost escalation. The challenge becomes in the Stage 2 project, the number of river crossings, the bridges.”

Those weren’t the only issues brought up by politicians, with Councillor Scott Hamilton asking questions about further bus routes to the Region of Waterloo Airport in Breslau.

“Obviously, everyone wants to get to the airport by bus, no one wants to go park their car and leave it. When you have a bunch of bags, you want to get to the airport, it’s tough to take a series of buses.”

Regional staff said there were close-by options in Waterloo and in Kitchener that currently give some relief to residents in Cambridge, but Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett said that wasn’t enough.

“Just to put it out there, that’s two Kitchener routes into the airport and zero from Cambridge,” she said.

Final plans for the GRT business plan will be brought forward in June, with regional staff saying further plans for the ION Stage 2 and the Cambridge to Guelph rail line won’t be provided until closer to November.