Regional Council approves extending light rail to Cambridge

Waterloo Region – Region of Waterloo Council has approved extending light rail from Fairway Station to downtown Cambridge, marking a significant milestone toward connecting residents across the community with rapid transit.

“Council’s decision represents a major step in delivering the original vision for rapid transit, which was a continuous connection from Waterloo to Kitchener to Cambridge,” said Region of Waterloo Chair Karen Redman. “This will shape the future of Waterloo Region as a great place to live, work and play, and extend the benefits of light rail transit to residents of Cambridge.”

Stage 1 ION led to $5.25 billion in development along the Central Transit Corridor, and more than 22,000 new homes along the corridor between 2011 and 2024.

Residents across Waterloo Region strongly supported extending light rail to Cambridge. More than 2,500 responses were received on Engage Waterloo Region, with 78 per cent of respondents selecting the extension of LRT from Fairway Station to downtown Cambridge as their preferred option.

The decision enables staff to pursue full project funding from the provincial and federal governments. The project will now move into the detailed design and pre-construction phase of work. In this phase, work will continue with heritage assessments, utility relocations, environmental field work and detailed design.

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