Toronto Public Health supports transit expansion in Toronto, and we also support electrification of the Georgetown and Lakeshore rail corridors. Electrification of the Georgetown and Lakeshore rail corridors will bring health benefits to the communities adjacent to these corridors, and to the larger population of Toronto. These benefits include:

• Incremental reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and in selected criteria air contaminants (i.e., particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides);
• Reduced on-road traffic congestion associated with an increase in the transit mode share, which may lead to more efficient driving conditions (i.e., less frequent stop-and-go traffic);
• Healthier lifestyles and improved health outcomes in new commuters who use active transportation (e.g., walking or bicycling) to travel to and from GO rail stations; and,
• Elimination of local emissions of diesel exhaust, which contains several toxic chemicals that are found in ambient air at levels of health concern (e.g., acetaldehyde, acrolein, benzene, 1,3-butadiene.)

The GO Electrification Study commissioned by Metrolinx was publically released in January, 2011. Metrolinx’ Board of Directors is responsible for making a recommendation to the Minister of Transportation based on the results of the Electrification Study. The Medical Officer of Health has urged the Board to proceed with electrification of the Georgetown and Lakeshore rail corridors as quickly as possible and to consider the electrification of the whole GO rail system to advance the benefits of electrification for both riders and adjacent communities.

Further details can be found in the documents below.