The Government of Ontario has appointed the David Collenette to lead Ontario’s High Speed Rail (HSR) Planning Advisory Board—continuing progress to bring high speed rail service to the province and cut travel times between Toronto and Windsor.
“I am pleased to announce Mr. Collenette’s appointment as Chair of Ontario’s HSR Planning Advisory Board and I look forward to working with him as we move forward to build Canada’s first high speed rail line,” said Kathryn McGarry, Ontario’s minister of transportation. “High speed rail will connect communities in our province as never before, creating new opportunities and increasing transportation choices for people across Southwestern Ontario.”
A former federal Minister of Transport, Collenette was the province’s special advisor for high speed rail. As chair of the HSR Planning Advisory Board, Collenette will continue to provide strategic support and advise government on this landmark project.
“High speed rail will transform how people travel across Ontario,” said Collenette. “I am pleased to be able to continue to work to deliver this service for our province.”
The introduction of HSR would be a first in Canada, connecting communities from Toronto to Windsor as part of Ontario’s Innovation SuperCorridor. High speed trains would travel at up to 250 kilometres per hour on a combination of existing track and new dedicated rail corridors. This would cut travel times between these major centres from over four hours to just over two. HSR will help businesses attract the best talent and boost their productivity, and help Ontario make the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The HSR line would serve a corridor that is home to more than seven million people. The proposed stops are Windsor, Chatham, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, and Toronto Union Station, with a connection to Pearson International Airport.
