The story of rapid transit

in Waterloo Region
 Managing growth and enhancing quality of life

The Region of Waterloo continues to grow. With a current population of 550,000, we are the fourth largest
community in Ontario and the tenth largest in Canada.
Over the next 20 years, growth will continue as we expect 200,000 new residents to move to our community. In fact,
the Province recently increased its population projection for Waterloo Region, from 729,000 to 742,000 by 2031
(Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe). These projections are on track as nearly 10,000 new residents
move to the region each year.
Where will these 200,000 people live and how will they travel in and around our community? Our traditional pattern
of suburban sprawl and single-occupancy car travel is not sustainable as we prepare to add the equivalent of
another Kitchener to the region. Waterloo Region recognizes the need to look at new and improved ways to prepare
for the future of our community.
The Region, together with the Province – through its Places to Grow legislation – is encouraging development and
growth within existing urban areas. By focusing development and investment in the core, Waterloo Region can build
up, instead of out: limiting urban sprawl and protecting the environment.
Moving people more efficiently in and around our community, limiting urban sprawl and saving our farmland through
the protection and preservation of the environment are three of the fundamental goals of ION.
ION will also help local businesses attract new talent to the region, assist with job creation and stimulate new
business growth.

ION THE STORY MANAGING GROWTH AND ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE 2

 Why do we need ION? 55% of new
residential
development
currently in the
Limit urban sprawl built up area 2011
and protect farmland
• Some of the best farmland in Ontario lies just
outside our urban areas. ION safeguards the region’s
precious agricultural lands and preserves the
community’s natural beauty by intensifying the core
areas of the community and limiting urban sprawl
2003
• Most of the region’s water supply comes from groundwater. Much of
this groundwater is located just outside the western edges of Kitchener
15% of new
and Waterloo. By encouraging growth inward and limiting urban sprawl, residential
ION will help protect the region’s groundwater sources development in
the built up area
• ION helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions for better air quality
• ION maintains the unique rural and urban lifestyle that we enjoy in our community
• ION is shaping the community for the future by encouraging development in core areas
• The Region is focused on building up, instead of out

ION THE STORY WHY DO WE NEED ION? 3

 Why do we need ION?

• ION is inspiring new residential and business investments

°° Construction can already be seen along the rapid transit corridor, with new projects continuously being
added with new developments such as 1 Victoria and the Red Condos selling out before completion
°° For the first time in the past decade, more apartments and townhomes are being built in Waterloo Region
than single family homes.
• The Region’s Official Plan aims to balance growth between subdivisions and existing built-up areas
°° This is a major departure from the past where nearly all new growth took place in subdivisions or single-
family homes
°° A noticeable new trend has emerged in the region in the past decade: we have shifted from having about
15 per cent development in existing built-up areas in 2003 to having more than 50 per cent development in
existing built-up areas in 2011
• ION is encouraging better use of land and efficient use of existing services and infrastructure
°° More compact, intensified development means it’s easier and more cost-effective for the Region and the
Cities to provide services to residents, for example: water, sewer, waste, emergency services
• ION will foster a strong economy by stimulating growth and revitalization
• Project developers openly attribute their projects to the rapid transit corridor

ION THE STORY WHY DO WE NEED ION? 4

 Why do we need ION?

Move people
• ION will offer residents a new transportation choice: light rail transit (LRT) in two stages
• With Grand River Transit (GRT), ION will create an efficient, integrated, easy-to-use public transit system for all
residents in Waterloo Region
°° New iXpress routes for convenient crosstown travel
°° Increased local bus service and improved frequency in neighbourhoods
°° One fare for all GRT and ION services
• Current ridership demands it
°° GRT has already achieved its ridership target for 2016 – four years ahead of schedule – with ridership now
at 22 million per year
°° Ridership on iXpress and Route 7 (that travel between the transit terminals at Conestoga Mall and Fairview
Park Mall) is at 20,000 rides per day, which is quickly closing in on the 2017 ION daily ridership target of
25,000 rides per day.
• Without ION, the Region would need to build 500 new lane kilometers of roads over the next 20 years to
accommodate expected growth
°° These new roads – the equivalent of 25 Hespeler Roads – would cost $1.4 billion and would need to be
built through existing neighbourhoods
°° The impact to roads such as Westmount Road and Courtland Avenue would cause significant social and
environmental disruption as well as change the nature of these established neighbourhoods
• Building ION allows the Region to reduce the need for new roads and reduce new road construction costs by
approximately 40 per cent or $500 million
• With ION, the Region will ease traffic congestion – now, and in the future – by strategically building roads that
efficiently connect a variety of transportation modes
• ION helps the community strike a better balance between daily car and transit use

ION THE STORY WHY DO WE NEED ION? 5

 Do we need ION?

Yes we do! Here’s why:

• Without ION, 500 new lane kilometres of roadways are needed to accommodate growth
°° The cost is approximately $1.4 billion and Regional taxpayers are responsible for 100 per cent of these costs
• Building ION allows the Region to reduce its new road construction costs by approximately 40 per cent or $500
million
• Without ION, more dependence will be placed on our roads, increasing the need for expansion and
improvement
• Roadway infrastructure costs are funded entirely by the Region
• More than two-thirds of the capital costs to build ION will be paid for by the Ontario ($300 million) and
Canadian ($265 million) governments
°° The Region will contribute $253 million to build ION
• Without ION, a significant amount of land would be required by the Region to accommodate expansion and
growth, including new roads or road widenings through established neighbourhoods
°° This land would come from established neighbourhoods where communities are already struggling with
competing priorities for space
°° It is not certain that these roads could even be built or expanded within our Region and our rising population
would lead to unmanageable gridlock throughout our community
• Road improvements and expansions do not offer the same level of development opportunities that the current
investment in ION does

ION THE STORY DO WE NEED ION? 6

 What’s in it for me?

Whether you live in one of the townships, one of our downtown

areas, or a suburb in Cambridge, Kitchener or Waterloo, ION
provides plenty of benefits for you and helps us preserve our quality
of life and unique urban/rural mix.

In suburban areas
• Development along the ION corridor will help limit overall
traffic congestion and cut-through traffic in existing
neighbourhoods – now, and into the future
• ION will reduce the need to expand roads and limit the
amount of infrastructure required to provide Regional and City services such as water, sewer and fire, making it
more effective to provide these services to all residents
• Along with Grand River Transit, ION will create an efficient, easy-to-use public transit system
°° New iXpress routes for convenient crosstown travel
°° Increased local bus service and improved frequency in neighbourhoods
°° One fare for all GRT and ION services
• Without ION, 500 lane kilometres of roadway (approximately 25 Hespeler Roads) are needed to accommodate
growth in Waterloo Region
°° The cost is approximately $1.4 billion and Regional taxpayers are responsible for 100 per cent of these road
costs
• Building ION allows the Region to reduce the need for new roads and limit roadway costs by approximately 40
per cent or $500 million
• ION reduces the need to build or widen roads through established neighbourhoods

In city centres
• ION will offer residents a new transportation choice
• New business, residential and commercial developments along the ION corridor will create prosperous and
connected communities
• ION will help the community strike a better balance between daily car and transit use
°° By opening day in 2017, more than 36,000 people will live within 600 meters of an ION stop, and 64,000
people will work within the same area
• ION will reduce traffic congestion

In rural areas
• By encouraging development in existing urban areas, the region’s agricultural lands, natural beauty and rural
lifestyle will remain preserved
• ION protects the countryside and ensures locally-grown food products are always available
• Low-emission, shared transportation protects the environment and improves air quality

ION THE STORY WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? 7

 How we got here

Planning for ION

The 2011 decision by Council to implement LRT was made following six years of technical studies and an extensive,
unprecedented public consultation process.
The idea of a rapid transit corridor in Waterloo Region is deep-rooted and was first presented in 1976, when it was
highlighted in the Regional Official Policies Plan.
Planning began after the Region assumed responsibility for transit in 2000 and three years after this, in 2003, the
Region included rapid transit in its Growth Management Strategy.
As part of its Places to Grow Plan in 2006, the Province of Ontario mandated the Region to plan for major population
growth. With little opportunity to expand the road network in core areas, Council chose to examine rapid transit as
the most sustainable solution to meet the community’s transportation needs.
In 2011, with support from the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada, and following the completion of
extensive public consultation, Council approved LRT in two stages.

ION THE STORY HOW WE GOT HERE 8

 “The ability for LRT to catalyze change
How we got here and focus city-building initiatives
over the long term far outweighs the
cost difference. LRT should be a long-
Comparing transit options view project constructed both to take
immediate advantage but also as a pre-
The Region began a Rapid Transit Environmental Assessment (EA) investment to force positive urban change
in 2006 to identify the best possible rapid transit system for and economic investment.”
Waterloo Region. In 2007, staff developed a number of criteria to – Expert Review Panel, 2009
evaluate the 10 rapid transit technologies and their associated
route designs. Based on the results of the evaluation, Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) and LRT were short-listed as they had the
greatest potential to:
• Support the Region’s development and
intensification objectives
• Manage the use of road and railway corridors
to serve major destinations
• Be compatible with existing and planned
neighbourhoods
Both technologies had rapid transit stops in generally the same locations. Both required
separate and protected rapidways for vehicles, with similar road impacts and property
costs. The separate rapidway – for either LRT or BRT – was critical to maximize the speed of the service.

LRT vs. More Buses

Our community faced a fundamental decision in its choice to build rapid transit. As part of the EA, the Region
completed a transit technology review and considered both BRT and LRT in its analysis. This involved a review of
the North American experience over the past 25 years and extensive public consultation.
The study concluded that LRT was the preferred technology for the following reasons:
• LRT was much more likely to achieve the objectives of the Region’s Growth Management Strategy than BRT
• LRT has a higher capital and net operating cost than BRT, but provides significantly greater benefits
• LRT vehicles can carry more passengers – the full standing capacity of standard and articulated buses is
approximately 75-115 passengers compared with up to 400 passengers on a two-car train
• LRT has a greater potential to attract transit ridership than BRT – it’s faster, quieter and offers a more
comfortable ride
• LRT helps shape the community – it’s a stronger catalyst for development and investment than BRT as LRT
infrastructure is viewed as more permanent, as buses can be moved, limiting long-term development
• LRT is a proven influence on land values and is recognized as a planning tool that can support and encourage
the development of more sustainable land use patterns
• The number of buses required to meet ridership demand by 2031 would overwhelm the system north of the
transit terminal at Fairview Park Mall

ION THE STORY HOW WE GOT HERE 9

 “Experience in other jurisdictions
How we got here suggests that LRT has the potential
to attract riders that would otherwise
refuse to take bus transit.”
Staged LRT to Cambridge – Peer Review Panel, 2011

In 2011, Regional Council approved the implementation

of LRT from Waterloo to Cambridge as the choice for
rapid transit. Council approved a staged approach to
LRT – similar to what other communities have done
when building rapid transit projects.
Stage 1 includes LRT from Kitchener to Waterloo as well as adapted Bus Rapid Transit (aBRT) from Cambridge to
Kitchener. Stage 2 will see the aBRT route converted to LRT, creating a 37 kilometre route of LRT across the three
urban centres.
The staged approach to LRT was selected, in part, because of lower ridership south of the transit terminal at
Fairview Park Mall and the capital costs were too high to build the entire system at one time. Only the Kitchener
to Waterloo ridership numbers were substantial enough to secure initial funding from the provincial and federal
governments.
In an effort to increase ridership south of the transit terminal at Fairview Park Mall, Regional Council approved
the allocation of $1 million per year for 10 years to enhance ridership and encourage development along the aBRT
corridor in Cambridge.
The Region’s ultimate goal is to implement a full LRT service moving people throughout Cambridge, Kitchener and
Waterloo.
• ION aBRT service is the first step towards bringing LRT to Cambridge
• A staged approach, moving from aBRT to LRT, is the most cost-effective way to match transit with current and
projected daily ridership as well as development along the corridor
• In 2011, Regional Council committed to investing $1 million per year for 10 years to enhance ridership and
encourage development along the ION corridor in Cambridge
• In preparation for Stage 2 ION, the Region will begin public engagement on the selected route and stops in
2014

ION THE STORY HOW WE GOT HERE 10

 In their review, the panel noted that the
How we got here Region may have, in fact, underestimated the
benefits of LRT:
“The ability for LRT to catalyze change and
Expert panel and peer reviews focus city-building initiatives over the long term
far outweighs the cost difference. LRT should
Third party experts in the fields of transportation planning, be a long-view project constructed both to take
urban planning and policy development twice conducted a immediate advantage but also as a pre-investment
review of the Region’s preferred rapid transit technology to force positive urban change and economic
and staged implementation in 2009 and again in 2011. investment.”
Both times, the experts were unanimous in their The Panel also encouraged the Region and its
endorsement of LRT from Waterloo to Cambridge, residents to think of an investment in rapid transit as “a
as an innovative transportation and urban planning significant first step in the creation of a robust regional
solution that will help Waterloo Region achieve its and intercity transit system that will extend to, and
growth management goals. connect with, Guelph, Hamilton, Pearson Airport, the GTA
The panelists included: and beyond.”
• Dr. Jeff Casello Finally, the panel commended the Region for the significant
amount of technical review and analysis completed within
°° Assistant Professor at the University of the Rapid Transit EA, and noted:
Waterloo, specializing in urban
transportation systems, transportation “This creates a strong foundation to understand the feasibility,
modeling, transportation and land range of alternatives and implications of this significant
use impacts. investment in rapid transit for Waterloo Region.”
• George Dark
°° A partner at Urban
Strategies Inc., a
Toronto-based full-service
planning and urban design firm, with an expertise in urban design and landscape architecture.
• Melanie Hare
°° A partner at Urban Strategies Inc., a Toronto-based full-service planning and urban design firm, with an
expertise in sustainable urban planning and transit-oriented development.
• Dr. Eric Miller
°° Professor at the University of Toronto, Director of the Urban Transportation Research and Advancement
Centre, Director of the University of Toronto Cities Centre and Chair of the International Association for
Travel Behaviour Research.
• Glenn Miller
°° Director of Education and Research at the Canadian Urban Institute, a Toronto based non-profit organization
dedicated to providing solutions to important issues that have an impact on the quality of life in cities, such
as land use, growth management, transportation, economic development and sustainable buildings.
• Glen Murray
°° Former Mayor of Winnipeg and chair of the Canadian National Round Table on the Environment and the
Economy as well as President of the Canadian Urban Institute.

ION THE STORY HOW WE GOT HERE 11

 How we got here

Community input: hearing from residents

Community engagement and public input has been, and will continue to be, a critical part of rapid transit in the
Region of Waterloo. During each stage of the process to date, feedback from residents has played a key role in
every ION decision.
Between 2006 and 2011, Regional staff hosted more than 150 public outreach events for rapid transit, including
presentations, speaking engagements and information booths. Additionally, more than 30 public consultation
centres were held.
In 2011, prior to Council’s decision on the implementation of rapid transit, the Region held a variety of community
relations activities and events, including:
• 25 public consultation/information centres (2,650 participants)
• 20 consultations with local businesses and agencies (550 participants)
• two formal public input meetings at Council (101 participants)
• a live webcast (139 participants)
• 1,760 written comments from the community
More recently, in 2013, Region staff implemented a wide-range of community relations activities and events aimed
at engaging residents, businesses, stakeholders and community groups. Two major events featuring the LRT vehicle
highlighted a successful year that also included:
• the Rapid Transit Tradeshow (a partnership with the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge Chambers of
Commerce) with participation from more than 50 businesses
• the Small Business Workshop Series (a partnership with the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre) with 92
business owners registering for the first two sessions
• 60 ION presentations to stakeholders, community groups and neighbourhood associations
• 14 public consultation/information centres on a variety of topics (i.e. branding, intersection modifications and
ION stop design concepts)

ION THE STORY HOW WE GOT HERE 12

 How we got here

Moving forward
Since Council’s 2011 decision to implement LRT, all the necessary studies have been completed, land has been
acquired, design work has been conducted and the procurement process is nearly complete with the announcement
of the public-private partner expected soon. This partner will design, build, finance, operate and maintain ION Stage
1 LRT for the next 30 years.
Additionally, major construction in relocating underground utilities such as Bell, Union Gas, Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro
and Kitchener Utilities has been completed or is currently underway. Early construction projects like the new tunnel
under the Conestoga Expressway started last summer, and the burial of Hydro One towers and hydro lines near
Fairway Road will start this spring.
Construction of the aBRT service will begin later this year in Cambridge, with the service expected to commence
shortly thereafter.

ION THE STORY HOW WE GOT HERE 13

 How we got here

By the numbers in 2013

• 9,185 – number of people the ‘ION the Way’ Facebook promotion reached in July
• 5,516 – number of people who saw the ‘ION is Here’ Facebook post in July
• 4,592 – number of people the ‘IONtoberfest’ Facebook promotion reached in October
• 1,721 – number of residents who toured the LRT vehicle during ‘IONtoberfest’ in October
• 1,366 – number of residents who toured the LRT vehicle in July 2013 following Council’s approval of the LRT
vehicle contract with Bombardier
• 211 – number of people who ‘shared,’ ‘liked’ or ‘commented’ on the ‘ION is Here’ Facebook post in July
• 92 – number of businesses who participated in the fist two of four, free workshops to prepare businesses for
ION construction, offered through the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre in November
• 60 – number of ION presentations rapid transit staff gave throughout the year
• 50 – number of local businesses and organizations who participated in the Rapid Transit Tradeshow in April
• 14 – number of ION-related public consultation/information centres throughout 2013

ION THE STORY HOW WE GOT HERE 14

 Timeline

1976 Creating a central transit corridor in Waterloo Region is presented in the Regional
Official Policies Plan

2000 Region of Waterloo assumes responsibility for public transit

2003 Council approves the Regional Growth Management Strategy, including a rapid
transit system to help manage expected growth, protect the environment and limit urban
sprawl (June)

2004 The Government of Canada, Government of Ontario and Region of Waterloo jointly
announce funding of up to $2.5 million for technical studies and an environmental
assessment for rapid transit in the region (May)

2005 The Minister of the Environment approves the Rapid Transit Environmental Assessment
Terms of Reference (July)

2006 The Government of Ontario releases Places to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Growth Plan
Golden Horseshoe, which includes a rapid transit system in Waterloo Region (June) for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006
Office cOnsOlidatiOn, June 2013

2006 Council approves rapid transit as the preferred transportation strategy for
Waterloo Region as part of Phase 1 for the Rapid Transit Environmental Assessment (July) Ministry of Infrastructure

2008 The Governments of Canada and Ontario identify rapid transit in Waterloo Region as
a priority on which they will work together under Building Canada (July)

2009 iXpress service sees a tripling in the number of weekday ridership since 2003 (March)

2009 Council approves the new Regional Official Plan

2009 Council approves light rail transit as the preferred technology for rapid transit in
Waterloo Region, along with the route, stop locations and staging plan as part of
Phase 2 of the Rapid Transit Environmental Assessment

2010 The provincial government commits $300 million towards rapid transit in the Region
of Waterloo (June)

2010 The federal government commits to funding one-third of rapid transit project costs
up to $265 million (September)

ION THE STORY TIMELINE 15

 Timeline

2011 The Region approves LRT for Waterloo Region in two stages and approves a funding
strategy for the new service (June)

2012 The Region decides to implement rapid transit through a design, build, finance, operate and
maintain contract with a public-private partner (February)

2012 Early utility construction begins in preparation for Stage 1 LRT (December)

2013 Rapid transit in Waterloo Region has a name. ION – meaning ‘going’ in Greek – is
officially adopted as the name of the service (April). Five months later, an official logo
is approved (September)

2013 The Region agrees to purchase 14 LRT vehicles for Stage 1 LRT from Bombardier (July)

2013 The Region’s Request for Proposal is released to three short-listed teams selected to
design, build, finance, operate and maintain ION, following a Request for Qualification
process that attracted seven interested teams (May)

2013 The Region’s Request for Proposals closes with submissions received from each of the
three short-listed teams (December)

2013 The Region endorses the Community Building Strategy, providing a framework for
development along the central transit corridor. It is one of the first strategies of its kind in
North America (December)

2014 GRT achieves its ridership target for 2016 – four years ahead of schedule – with 22 million
riders per year (January)

2014 Council is scheduled to award the contract to the preferred team to design, build,
finance, operate and maintain ION Stage 1 LRT (March)

2014 Construction is scheduled to start on the ION aBRT service, which travels between the
Ainslie Street Terminal and Fairview Park Mall (Spring/Summer)

2014 Construction is scheduled to begin on ION LRT service between Kitchener and Waterloo (Summer)

2015 ION aBRT service is scheduled to begin (Spring)

2016 First ION LRT vehicle is scheduled to arrive in Waterloo Region (July)

2017 ION LRT service is scheduled to start (Fall)

ION THE STORY TIMELINE 16

 What are we building?

ION service
The Region of Waterloo’s rapid transit service is a bold and visionary plan focused on protecting agricultural lands
and the environment, limiting urban sprawl and moving people.
Approved by Regional Council in 2011, ION will bring LRT to Waterloo Region in two stages:
• Stage 1, scheduled to open in 2017, features a 19 kilometre LRT route from the Grand River Transit (GRT)
terminal at Conestoga Mall to the transit terminal at Fairview Park Mall
°° With 16 stops, ION makes it easy for residents to travel between neighbourhoods, schools, major
employment areas, events and shopping districts
• Stage 1 also includes a 17 kilometre adapted Bus Rapid Transit (aBRT) route between Cambridge’s Ainslie
Street Terminal and Fairview Park Mall
°° Expected to begin service in 2015, ION features six stops, including four on Hespeler Road
• Stage 2 will see the Region convert ION aBRT to LRT, creating a seamless 37 kilometre route of 23 ION stops
between Cambridge and Waterloo

ION operations
• ION will travel in its own rapidway
°° The vehicles will be separated from car traffic and benefit from traffic signal priority
°° For example: some preference will be given to ION
°° Shortening a red light or lengthening a green light to allow the LRT vehicle to travel through an
intersection, in order to remain on-time and on-schedule without disrupting overall traffic flow
• ION will run approximately every eight minutes during rush hour and every 10-15 minutes the rest of the day
°° ION will operate between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m. daily, similar to GRT
• Emergency services vehicles will be able to use the ION rapidway when required

ION THE STORY WHAT ARE WE BUILDING? 17

 What are we building?

ION stops
• ION aBRT and LRT stops will share a set of common elements
°° Each stop will feature:
°° Functional elements such as ticket vending machines, bike racks and digital displays that tell customers
in real-time when the next bus or LRT will arrive
°° Custom elements such as landscaping and art that will link to surrounding neighbourhoods and
communities
• Stops will be located near key destinations, major employers, post-secondary schools and neighbourhoods/
communities throughout the region, including:
°° Downtown Kitchener, UpTown Waterloo, Galt, Preston, Hespeler
°° Manulife, Sun Life, Grand River Hospital
°° University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University
°° Cambridge Centre, Fairview Park Mall, Waterloo Town Square, Conestoga Mall
• A joint fare system with GRT ensures residents can easily transfer between the bus and rail services at no
additional cost

ION vehicles
• The Region’s LRT vehicles (LRVs) are being built by the Canadian company
Bombardier
°° The Region has purchased 14 LRVs for ION Stage 1 LRT
• ION LRVs will:
°° Comfortably carry up to 200 customers per vehicle
°° Passengers enter the vehicle via four doors that will open at each stop
°° Doors are located on both sides of the vehicle for easy northbound and
southbound travel
°° There are 57 seats in each vehicle, along with plenty of standing room and
designated areas for bicycles and those with accessibility needs
°° Be barrier-free and fully-accessible
°° The 100 per cent low floor LRVs are the first of their kind in North America
°° Most LRVs are only 70 per cent low-floor
°° Low-floor LRVs make it easier for customers to enter the vehicle,
especially those with strollers, accessibility needs or shopping carts

ION THE STORY WHAT ARE WE BUILDING? 18

 ION Stage 1 LRT

ION THE STORY

We
Duk be
tW e St rS
S

Ca
Northfield Drive Conestoga Mall W tW

King S

ro
Erb

tS
St

Kin

line
g
S
ck

St E

St
St W
W Weber C ha
St
eri

S
Dr St N
d

on
rl es
ia

field St W
tor
Fre

Uni
N orth
Vic

Br
idg UpTown Waterloo Downtown Kitchener
eS Eb
tW dN tE yc
ale R eS
res
tR
eE i ngd ir dg d
Av om B Fo
ty

We
rsi Blo un
e

d
R&T Park ta
in

stm
Univ S

er R
tN

oun

ring
King St N

t Rd
N

Bea
W tN
eet S
ia Str University of Waterloo to ria
mb ort Rd E Vic
u

Fis
Col gep

ch
Brid

er
Lac

H
kn

st E

all
Seagram Drive Erb

m
er

an
Blv
d

Rd
N
Waterloo Town Square
Willis Way tN
Allen Street S
ta wa
Ot

E
Kin

rb
gS

s
tW

vil
W

le
Grand River Hospital

Rd
Ave
Young Street

Fis
Transit Hub

sity

ch
er
Frederick Street

ver

Ha
Gaukel Street

ll
Uni

ma
Cedar Street N

nR
Benton Street Rd
St W ay

dS
Erb Borden Avenue w
Fair
We
S
e

ber
S

S tE
Av
St

n
de
wa

We
r

st
ta

mo
Bo
Ot

unt
Rd
tS W
aS
tori
Vic
Mill Street Riv

Ira N
er
d W Rd
E
ndR

eedle
hla
Hig King
We
Ho

s Blv
m

St E

d
stm
er
Co

Blockline Road
u

W
a

un
t

Fairview Park Mall

tr la

tR
nd

on

dE
Av

Bl

S
ay Rd
vd
eE

Fairw

WHAT ARE WE BUILDING?

19
 ION Stage 1 aBRT and Stage 2 LRT

ION THE STORY

Rd
Riv
er
Rd

Foun
E

eler
Rd
Grove

Hesp

tain S
King
St E Maple

tN
th Ave
Fairview Park Mall
y Rd S
Fairwa
d

Reg Rd 24 to Gro
ush R
Pineb
Sportsworld

Sportsworld
St N Eagle Street
Eagle
ay
rkw
a
r aP
me

Manitou
n-A

Dr
Ca

Sh
an
tz H Preston p St N
ill R
d Bisho

Cambridge Centre Mall

tS
tain S
Foun
Can-Amera Parkway

Co
ro
Bla
ir R n ati
d on
Bl
vd
G eo
rge
St N
Delta
Du
n
t

da
ly S

sS
tN
Fran

ver
Be
klin B
lvd

Dickie
Ros
evil
le R
d
Settle

Du
n
ment R

Ainslie Street Terminal da

d

sS
tS

WHAT ARE WE BUILDING?

20
 Connections

Long-term transportation strategy

ION is a key element of the Region’s Transportation Master Plan (RTMP), which is a coordinated, long-term strategy
for investment in all types of travel, including roads, public transit, walking and cycling.
The 19 kilometre ION corridor will form the spine of this efficient, integrated transportation network that will
reach out to all corners of the region. Focused on moving people and goods in and around our community, ION will
help create a prosperous future for Waterloo Region, assist in attracting new residents and businesses and allow
individuals to strike a better balance between their car and transit use.
Grand River Transit (GRT)
To maximize the benefits of ION, GRT will undergo a major network redesign with the goal of creating an easy to
use, efficient public transit system for all residents. Following the launch of ION, some GRT buses will be redeployed
to other routes, allowing for improved community bus service.
Network redesign features:
• New and expanded iXpress services that link major neighbourhoods to ION as well as establish frequent and
efficient transit service to key destinations
• Expanded local and crosstown iXpress services that will transport commuters to and from ION stops
• Increased local bus service and improved frequency for neighbourhoods throughout Cambridge, Kitchener and
Waterloo
• A joint fare system with ION to ensure residents can easily transfer between bus and LRT service at no
additional cost
• Improved connections to GO Transit, VIA rail and other inner-city transit options

King/Victoria transit hub

The transit hub, located at the corner of King and Victoria Streets in Downtown Kitchener, will provide connections
to street platforms for ION, GRT stops and inter-city transit such as GO Transit and VIA rail. The hub will also link to
taxi services and walking and cycling trails.

Walking and cycling trails

Most ION stops are located within close proximity to the region’s vast network of multi-use trails.
• Since 2006, cycling facilities on Regional roads (including on-road bike lanes, multi-use trails, shared lanes and
paved shoulders) have nearly doubled from 149 km to 289 km
• Region-wide, the goal is to increase the share of walking and cycling during the afternoon peak hours
from 7.8% in 2006 to 12% in 2031. Connections with ION will help make this possible through improved
accessibility

ION THE STORY CONNECTIONS 21

 Connections

Roads
The Region will continue to invest in roads throughout our community. Road improvements, in combination with
ION, provide greater connectivity, quality and choice for all residents – no matter what their transportation mode.
Since 2004, a total of 82 road expansion or improvement projects have been completed on Regional roads and
bridges, for a total investment of $247 million.
Some of the most recent investments include:
• Weber Street Widening and grade separation at railway ($57 million)
• Fairway Road Extension including new bridge across the Grand River ($50 million)
• Ira Needles Boulevard Construction ($35 million)
• Hespeler Road Grade separation at railway($25 million)
• Maple Grove Road Widening and grade separation at railway ($20 million)
• Townline Road Widening ($13 million)
Additionally, over the next 10 years, there are several major road expansions and improvements planned, for a total
investment of more than $200 million.
These projects include:
• River Road Extension (approximately $79 million)
• Franklin Boulevard road widening and intersection improvements (approximately $50 million)
• King Street Grade separation at railway (approximately $28 million)
• South Boundary Road (Cambridge) Extension (approximately $17 million)
• Fountain Street reconstruction and replacement of Bridge over the Grand River (approximately $12 million)
• Ira Needles Boulevard Widening (approximately $11 million)
• CanAmera Parkway Widening (approximately $3 million)

ION THE STORY CONNECTIONS 22

 Did you know that Public-Private
How will we pay for ION? Partnerships (P3s) are a proven and
widely used procurement approach for
large public infrastructure projects in
Canada?
Stage 1 ION capital costs = $818 million
P3s work because they engage the
• $300 million – from the Government of Ontario expertise and innovation of the private
• $265 million – from the Government of Canada sector. They also transfer a major share of
• $253 million – from the Region of Waterloo the risks to the private sector so taxpayers
are not responsible for cost overruns, delays
Regional funding strategy or performance issues over the life of the
agreement
• The Region’s share of the capital, interest
and operations and maintenance costs will
be paid for from transit fare revenue and
incremental property tax increases
• In 2011, Regional Council approved a
funding strategy for ION that included annual property tax increases of 1.2 per cent from 2012 to 2018
• These increases will be offset by other property tax reductions so that the annual net increase for ION will
average 0.7 per cent from 2012-18. For the average homeowner, the additional annual property tax increase
will be approximately $11 per year
• It is hoped that new provincial initiatives may produce additional revenues for rapid transit projects

A public-private partnership
For ION Stage 1 LRT, the Region will partner with a team of experts to design, build, finance, operate and maintain
Stage 1 LRT service between Kitchener and Waterloo. The operating contract will be for 10 years (with possible
extensions); the maintenance contract will be for 30 years.
During this time, the Region will:
• Own the ION system
• Set fares, in coordination with GRT
• Set the frequency of service – how often the train comes during the day
• Collect all fare revenue
• Be responsible for providing customer service
• Be responsible for integration with all GRT services
The private partner will:
• Take Stage 1 LRT to final design
• Build Stage 1 LRT
• Operate and maintain the LRT system between Kitchener and Waterloo to meet the Region’s service and
performance standards

ION THE STORY HOW WILL WE PAY FOR ION? 23

 “The LRT helped us get our financing, it
Change is happening helped us with sales and it’s going to help us
sell the rest of the building. The LRT is the key
to the whole deal as far as I am concerned.”

Building up, not out (Peter Smith, Andrin Homes, as quoted in the
Waterloo Region Record on November 9, 2013
Waterloo Region is experiencing unprecedented change. regarding the City Centre Condos)
Residents and investors are attracted to the region’s “One of the first questions we ask is: ‘How close
quality of life, innovation and commitment to shaping is the nearest LRT platform?”
the community for generations to come.
(Brian Prudham, Momentum Developments, as
The rapid transit corridor is attracting talent, new quoted in the Waterloo Region Record on January 16,
business and growth and existing businesses are 2014 regarding the company’s recent developments at
expanding and building. 1 and 100 Victoria in downtown Kitchener and the RED
Investment in the future can already be seen condos in uptown Waterloo)
along the ION corridor, with new residential
and commercial construction projects “I’m a 26 year-old CEO of the growing startup Industry
beginning all the time. Corporation, with operations in tech and media. On behalf
of my 15-person team in downtown Kitchener, we’d like to
• More than 50 per cent of new express our huge support for the construction of the LRT”.
residential development is already
occurring in built-up areas (Andrew Matlock, CEO, Industry Corporation)
along the rapid transit corridor
– Regional Transportation
Master Plan Progress Update,
January 28 2014
• The local construction industry will surge by 10 per cent in 2014 and 2015 as work on LRT begins - Conference
Board of Canada
• For the first time in more than a decade, construction of apartments and townhouses outnumbers new single
family and semi-attached home construction, demonstrating the desire for compact, urban living in our
community.
The total value of residential and non-residential building permits in 2013 along the ION corridor was $250 million.

What is the Community Building Strategy?

Endorsed by Regional Council in 2013, the Community Building Strategy provides
a framework for development along the ION corridor and around ION stops.
• Created to help guide growth and development around ION stops
• A highly collaborative and unique approach to planning for Waterloo
Region
• Focused on encouraging attractive, compact, pedestrian/transit-
friendly developments
The Community Building Strategy is part of the Region’s ‘Big Shift
Toolbox’ and is available at www.regionofwaterloo.ca/bigshift.

ION THE STORY CHANGE IS HAPPENING 24

 Change is happening

Building ridership
The Region is already seeing positive results in terms of transit ridership.
• Since the Region began providing transit in the community in 2000, ridership has more than doubled – from
nine million per year in 2000 to nearly 23 million in 2012
• The projected year one daily ridership of ION LRT is 25,000. Today, Route 7 and iXpress already carry about
20,000 rides per day. ION will replace these routes
• GRT has already achieved its ridership target for 2016 – four years ahead of schedule – with ridership now at GRT Ridership
22 million per year.

GRT Ridership Ridership has doubled

in the past decade with
650,000 2016 targets already 23.0
being achieved.
600,000 21.0
Population or Hours of Service

Ridership (millions)
550,000 19.0
17.0
500,000
15.0
450,000
13.0
400,000 11.0
350,000 9.0
300,000 7.0
2004
2000
2001

2008

2010
2011
2003

2006

2009
2007

2012
2005
2002

iXpressRevenue
Service Area Population Ridership
Hours Growth
Ridership

iXpress Ridership Growth

iXpress Weekday Average Boardings
12,000

10,000 Ridership has seen a

steady increase over
the past eight years.
8,000

6,000 200 iXpress

201 iXpress

4,000

2,000

-
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 (to
October)

ION THE STORY CHANGE IS HAPPENING 25

 Contact Info

Connect with ION Staff

Kimberly Moser
Manager, ION Community Relations
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 519-575-4757, ext. 3461
Cell: 519-501-6266

Stay connected
Stay up-to-date with the latest ION news:
www.regionofwaterloo.ca/rapidtransit
[email protected]

facebook.com/rowrapidtransit – Waterloo Region’s rapid transit service

@ROWRapidTransit

To sign up for the ION Update, the monthly newsletter, email: [email protected]

ION THE STORY CONTACT INFO 26