Stage 2 by 2032? Why Region of Waterloo says LRT into Cambridge is years away

Construction of Phase 2 of the LRT to Cambridge is still years away, but regional staffsay the next major steps for the project are to secure funding and complete a business case.

Regional council approved the route and station locations in 2019, and in 2020 approved the function design for the project, according to Matthew O'Neill, Region of Waterloo's manager of rapid transit coordination.

The environmental assessment was also completed in 2021.

"Now, havingcompleted the [environmental assessment] we're looking ahead todoing the business case and updating the cost estimates and preparing for the funding requests of the provincialand federal government in 2023," O'Neill said.

Next steps

Other steps also include the re-evaluation of theBruce Street ION terminalafterdeficiencies were found with that location.

"We have learned a few things about running and operating a system and the design has developed further ... and some of the benefits of the south terminus have not really panned out as we have envisioned," he said.

"We now see some potential, good ideas for the AinslieStreet site that might be worth taking a look at."

That work is expected to wrap up early to mid 2023, O'Neill said. By late 2023, it's expected regional staff will have completed a business case for the projectthat will be presented to council and later be presented to the provincial and federal governments.

Shaping Waterloo region's growth

O'Neill said staff are using the region's official plan, which looks ahead at the region's growth by 2051, to help craft the project'sbusiness case.

"That's going to produce 2051 land use forecast, so population and employment, that feeds into the travel model, which gives us our future ridership estimates," he said.

As the region'spopulation is expected to reach 923,000 people by2051, Brian Doucet, anassociate professor in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo, said having the LRTin Cambridgewill help shape the region's future growth.

The region is also expected to strengthen its workforceby470,000 jobs in2051.

"Building higher order transit to linkkey areas in midsize, large, rapidly growing areas is really important," Doucet, who is also the Canada Research Chair in Urban Change and Social Inclusion, told CBC K-W.

"Thinking about growing in a more compact way, in a way where people have transportation choices, in a way that having higher order transit system anchors the way [a region] grows and develops."

Doucet adds it's also important to make surethe new system isaccessible to everyone by ensuringfuture development along the line is inclusive of affordable housing and other agencies that benefit the community.

"Higher order transit is good and important, but we also have to think about a housing strategy and think about who benefits and who is able to access those spaces," he said.

Construction no earlier than 2028

When construction of phase 2 would startdepends on securing funding, getting the property acquisition process started, as well as finalizing the procurementof the project,O'Neill said.

He said construction of phase 2 would startnoearlier than 2028 and theregion would also need to purchase 14 additional trains.

Right now, O'Neill said staff areworking on updating the overall costs estimates of the project,which include property costs,the cost of designing and building phase 2, as well as operation and maintenance costs.

On the Engage Waterloo website, it says estimated start of service for the Cambridge LRT could be as early as 2032.

Listen to the full interview with Matthew O'Neillbelow: