Is that the City Centre LRT transit loop in Mississauga being built?

A City Centre loop that would run trains through condos in Mississauga’s downtown core as part of the huge Hurontario light rail transit (LRT) project has not yet been approved by the provincial government, despite recent appearances to some residents that the additional line was already under construction.

City of Mississauga Ward 4 Councillor John Kovac told insauga.com today (Nov. 25) that a number of residents have approached him with questions about recent construction activity in the Square One area, some of them mistakenly believing that what they were seeing was the early stages of City Centre loop construction.

While Kovac said he remains optimistic that Premier Doug Ford’s government will change its mind and reinstate plans to build the loop, that hasn’t happened yet, he said.

The loop, initially included in Hurontario LRT plans to service residents/passengers who live in the highrises around Square One, was pulled off the table three years ago by the Ontario government in a cost-cutting move.

Mississauga officials have been aggressively pushing for its reinstatement ever since.

In an email to insauga.com today, the City’s transportation and works commissioner Geoff Wright said what residents are likely seeing is construction of other LRT components in and near the downtown core.

“Reinstating the Downtown Loop is one of the City of Mississauga’s top priorities. There is significant growth taking place in our downtown and bringing improved transit to this area is key to unlocking this potential,” said Wright.

“Construction of the Hurontario LRT is well underway across the 18-kilometre line, including on Rathburn Rd. where trains will enter from and exit to Hurontario St. in order to connect to the City Centre Transit Terminal and Square One GO Bus Terminal. The public would also be seeing construction of the LRT-only flyover (or bridge) over Hwy. 403 to the west of the existing Hurontario St. overpass.”

The City’s efforts to have plans for the loop restored have been buoyed by support from Ottawa.

Federal Transport Minister and Mississauga Centre MP Omar Alghabra has thrown his full support behind the effort, saying on several occasions that Ottawa is ready to commit financially and otherwise to making the loop a reality.

Wright added that “…the line is being built to seamlessly extend the line and add the Downtown Loop at Rathburn Rd. and Burnhamthorpe Rd. should there be agreement and funding in the future. We continue to be willing to work with all levels of government to find a way to advance the implementation of the loop.”

Metrolinx, the provincial agency overseeing the massive transit project, told insauga.com via email that no construction related to a loop has yet taken place.

“The work underway is related to the elevated guideway that connects the LRT to the Mississauga City Centre stop,” a spokesperson said in the email.

Mayor Bonnie Crombie has led the way in pressing the Province to reconsider, arguing the area’s population is growing quickly and will need convenient transit service.

The 18-kilometre LRT route, to be completed by fall 2024 and called the Hazel McCallion Line, will move passengers from Port Credit GO station in the south to Brampton in the north, with 19 stops along the way.

When completed, it will link to GO stations at Port Credit and Cooksville, the Mississauga Transitway, Square One GO Bus Terminal, Brampton Gateway Terminal, and key MiWay and Brampton Transit routes.

In addition to recent work on utilities, crews working on the LRT have also been focusing on completing tasks around two major creeks in Mississauga in an effort to prevent devastating local floods in the future.