Ontario government extends weekend GO Train service to Niagara Falls
The Ontario government is extending weekend GO Train service between Toronto and Niagara Falls to run all year long in an effort to draw more visitors to one of the province’s busiest tourism hubs.
Premier Doug Ford made the announcement on Friday and said the increased service would be a “huge boost” to the region.
“This is just one part of our mission to build Ontario by bringing more transit options to one of the fastest growing areas of the province,” Ford said.
Prior to Friday’s announcement, the service only ran Monday to Friday and seasonally over the weekends.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The change will now see trains make two round trips each day on Saturday, Sunday and holiday Mondays starting Oct. 15.
Riders can purchase weekend passes for $10, which provides unlimited travel on any one of those days. For an extra 5$, riders can get unlimited travel for the full weekend, including holidays.
The announcement is welcome news to businesses in Niagara Falls, which were particularly hit hard following COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and travel restrictions.
Before then, Niagara Falls would regularly see 12 million visitors annually.
That number dropped by two thirds at the height of the pandemic, according to Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati, who spoke with CTV News Toronto back in May of 2020.
Year-round weekend service to Niagara Falls from Union Station was first introduced in 2019 but came to a screeching halt following the onset of COVID-19.
GO train service to Niagara is currently is available on weekdays, and seasonally on weekends.
Ford explained he had always planned to resume the service “as soon as possible” and said that Friday’s announcement makes good on that promise.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
Over 300 dead, thousands displaced in northern Afghanistan as floods affect region
The UN food agency estimated that unusually heavy seasonal rains in Afghanistan have left more than 300 people dead and thousands of houses destroyed.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.