The Hazel McCallion LRT
The Hazel McCallion LRT (formerly called the Hurontario LRT) is a light rail streetcar line that is currently under construction in the cities of Mississauga, and Brampton, Ontario.
Contents
The line will run north-south along Hurontario Street in Mississauga and Main Street in Brampton, for a distance of 18 kilometers. There will be 19 stops along its route. The Hazel McCallion LRT will replace several bus routes that currently service the corridor, and it will be electric-powered.
The southern terminus will be the Port Credit GO Station in Mississauga, and the northern terminus will be the Brampton Gateway Terminal (Shoppers World) in south Brampton.
Once it opens, the Hurontario LRT is expected to serve up to 14 million passengers per year.
Growing Transit Needs in Peel Region
Although Brampton and Mississauga are both major cities in Peel Region in The Greater Toronto Area, the lion’s share of the Hurontario Main LRT will be in Mississauga.
Mississauga, Ontario is the seventh-largest city in Canada. It has experienced rapid population growth and urban development over the past 30 years.
Until recently, the city was a classic North American suburb, with most residents living in single family homes. Almost everyone drove their car to work. The old values of low density suburban sprawl were firmly entrenched.
Today Mississauga is undergoing a lifestyle transformation. It has a diverse population of over 800,000 residents and the local economy is thriving. There are more people who commute into Mississauga for work than there are Mississaugans who commute outward (for example to Toronto) for their employment.
The city’s transportation infrastructure is playing an increasingly important role in facilitating mobility and supporting economic activity.
As the city continues to expand, the strain on its existing transit system has become increasingly evident, with congestion, reliability issues, and limited connectivity posing significant challenges for residents and businesses alike.
The Vision
In response to these challenges, local leaders and transportation planners in both Mississauga and Brampton recognized as far back as 2009 that they needed a better solution to improve the transit system for residents.
The solution eventually agreed upon was the Hurontario LRT.
The LRT was deemed to be the best way to move people within the Hurontario corridor, providing a reliable alternative to congested roads and overcrowded buses.
After many years of discussion and public consultations, the province of Ontario issued a Request for Qualifications in 2016. LRT project was funded in 2019. Construction started in 2020, with an expected LRT completion date of late 2026*.
We can talk about both cities, but today I will focus on Mississauga.
Transit in Mississauga
Evolution
Mississauga’s transit system has evolved a lot since its inception, reflecting the city’s growth, land use patterns, and transportation priorities.
In the early years, the city had a fairly minimal, basic bus service operated by the Mississauga Transit Commission (now known as MiWay).
As the population grew and urban sprawl expanded, however, it became clear that a stronger transit network was necessary to keep pace with the city’s development.
Despite efforts to expand bus routes and improve service frequency, Mississauga’s traditional transit offerings have struggled to keep up with the growing demand for transportation.
Congestion on major roadways, particularly during peak hours, has led to unreliable travel times and decreased overall efficiency for commuters. It’s fair to say that vehicular traffic has gotten steadily worse as the city has grown.
Light Rail Transit in Mississauga
Recognizing the limitations of conventional bus-based transit systems, city planners began exploring alternative modes of transportation that could offer greater capacity, speed, and reliability.
Light rail transit (LRT) emerged as a promising solution, offering the flexibility of surface-level operation with the efficiency and comfort of a dedicated rail corridor.
With its ability to carry more passengers and travel at higher speeds than buses, LRT has the potential to significantly improve mobility options for Mississauga residents while reducing the environmental impact of transportation.
The LRT was originally named the Hurontario LRT. It was rebranded the Hazel McCallion LRT in 2022, to honour the iconic former mayor of Mississauga. She passed away in 2023.
Hazel McCallion (1921-2023) was a very popular Mississauga mayor for many years, and was known for her unwavering commitment to the city’s growth and prosperity. By renaming the LRT in her honour, Mississauga paid tribute to Mayor McCallion’s legacy.
Three Organizations
In addition to the provincial, regional, and municipal governments involved here, there are three organizations that are key players in the development of the Hurontario LRT.
Metrolinx
Metrolinx is the regional transportation agency for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
It is the primary agency responsible for planning, coordinating, and delivering transit initiatives across the region, and it brings extensive expertise, resources, and funding to support the advancement of this project.
Metrolinx is involved with the Hazel McCallion LRT through its oversight of regional transportation planning and infrastructure development.
As part of its mandate to improve mobility and connectivity throughout the GTHA, Metrolinx collaborates closely with municipal governments, transit agencies, and other stakeholders to identify priority transit projects and allocate funding for their implementation.
In the case of the Hazel McCallion LRT, Metrolinx has provided significant financial support to help cover the costs of planning, design, construction, and operation, leveraging its funding mechanisms such as the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and the Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) program.
Additionally, Metrolinx plays a crucial role in coordinating the integration of the Hazel McCallion LRT with existing and future regional transit networks.
This includes ensuring seamless connections between the LRT and other transit modes, such as GO Transit commuter rail, MiWay bus services, and Brampton Transit.
By facilitating multimodal connectivity and interoperability, Metrolinx helps maximize the effectiveness of the LRT system, enabling passengers to travel seamlessly across municipal boundaries and access a wide range of destinations throughout the region.
Mobilinx
Once the decision had been made to proceed with the LRT, selecting an organization to build and operate it was the next priority. A public Request for Qualifications was issued in 2016, a short list of possible candidates was selected in June, 2017, and then a Request for Proposals was issued in August, 2017. After much discussion and evaluation, Mobilinx was selected as the winning bidder.
On October 21, 2019, Mobilinx Hurontario General Partnership entered into an agreement with Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the new Hurontario light rail transit (LRT) project. The contract is worth approximately $4.6 billion Canadian dollars.
Mobilinx is a consortium of local and global firms that specialize in the delivery of infrastructure projects. The consortium is comprised of Astaldi Canada Enterprises Inc., Transdev North America Inc., Amico Concessions Inc., John Laing Investments Limited, Ansaldo STS S.p.A., Hitachi Rail STS S.p.A., Salini Impregilo Canada Holding Inc., IBI Group Professional Services (Canada) Inc., Morrison Hershfield, National Bank, and HSBC.
Alstom
Alstom is the company that will be supplying the streetcars for the line. They are a global company established about 100 years ago, with headquarters in Paris, France. Alstom have supplied everything from subway cars in Paris, New York, and Washington D.C., to locomotives in India.
In Canada, they have delivered the latest Toronto streetcars, the green and white bi-level GO Train coaches, as well as subway and LRT rolling stock in Ottawa, Montreal, and Edmonton.
They have a manufacturing plant in Brampton, and the Hurontario light rail streetcars are being assembled there.
Rolling Stock
The streetcars themselves will be multi-section low-floor vehicles. They will have a maximum width of 2.65m. The vehicles will initially contain two units, with a length of 60m, but in the long term, the line will operate three-unit vehicles having a length of 90m.
The low-floor vehicles, combined with low platforms will allow fast, step-free boarding and alighting at the stops.
The trains will have a peak carrying capacity of 200 passengers per vehicle, or 600 passengers per three-unit vehicles. They will have an average operating speed of 27km/h with a top operating speed of 70km/h.
Power for the trains will come from electricity. The traction power system, consisting of traction power substations (TPSS) and an overhead cable contact system, will supply 750V DC power to the trains.
Navigating the Route
The proposed route of the Hazel McCallion LRT (aka Hurontario LRT) spans approximately 18 kilometers, connecting key destinations across Mississauga and Brampton. Beginning in Port Credit at the Port Credit GO Station in the south, the LRT route travels northward on a dedicated right-of-way along the length of Hurontario Street, serving major business centres, educational institutions, and residential neighborhoods along the way.
Key stops include:
Port Credit GO Station
As the southern terminus station on the Hazel McCallion Line, the Port Credit GO Station offers connections to direct GO Train service for commuters heading to Toronto Union Station, as well as those planning to head west towards Hamilton and on to Niagara Falls.
Cooksville GO Station
In Cooksville, the Cooksville GO Station is another major intermodal transit hub connecting riders throughout Mississauga via MiWay buses and to Milton and to Toronto via GO Trains.
While the LRT will not enter the GO station directly, it will stop at Hurontario St. and John St., a short walk from the terminal building.
Mississauga City Centre
The Mississauga City Centre Transit Terminal is the central transit hub in Mississauga. It is located on Rathburn Road on the north side of the Square One Shopping Centre, in Mississauga City Centre.
Once complete, the LRT will make its way into the transit terminal via an elevated guideway, stopping at the Rathburn Road terminal.
From this facility you can connect to:
- Hamilton, Guelph and beyond via GO Buses
- the University of Toronto and Kipling Station via MiWay buses
- Brampton via Züm
Bus service from the Mississauga Transitway BRT intersects here as well.
The major tourist attractions in Mississauga City Centre, facilities such as Celebration Square, the Living Arts Centre, the Mississauga Art Museum, and the Central Library, are all walkable from the terminal.
Brampton Gateway Terminal
The northern terminus station on the Hazel McCallion Line is the Brampton Gateway Terminal. It is a hub connecting transit riders to a wide range of destinations, including the Sheridan College Brampton campus, Bramalea City Centre Shopping Mall, and Humber College in Toronto.
Throughout its route corridor, the LRT will integrate with existing transit networks in both Mississauga and Brampton, including GO Transit, MiWay bus routes, and Brampton Transit Züm bus routes.
Construction Progress
The Hurontario LRT is a complicated undertaking. It involves tunnelling under two separate existing heavy rail lines, plus under the QEW highway. There are bridges over the 401, 403 and 407 highways. And there are major relocations of existing water, sewer and utility grids that are required for the line to proceed.
The ingress and egress from the Mississauga City Centre Transit Terminal require a series of elevated guideways to reach the facility. Access to the Port Credit GO Station is underground.
Hurontario Street itself requires widening over much of its length.
You get the idea. This is a multi-year, complex project that is taking place while Hurontario St. remains open to vehicular traffic.
As of today (October, 2025), the most advanced sections of the line are in north Mississauga. From Highway 407 south to roughly Highway 403, there are extensive sections where the tracks have been laid. Much of the time, tracks were installed in major intersections first, and then joined to the next major intersection. This way, vehicle traffic was not as affected as it could have been.
In many places we are starting to see the metal structures that will hold the power cables that provide electricity to the LRT.
South of the 403 is less complete. While crews work on the elevated guideways, much of the area is currently having prep work done for the coming trackwork. South of Fairview Road, there is still much to do. South of Queensway to the Port Credit GO, they are just getting started.
In Brampton, other than utility, water, and sewer relocation, nothing has been done so far.
*The Mississauga LRT completion date was originally projected to be late 2024, but I believe it will be late 2026 at the earliest.
Maintenance Facility
A major maintenance and storage facility for the LRT is currently under construction near Topflight Drive in north Mississauga.
The maintenance facility will be connected to Hurontario Street via a dedicated spur line that diverges from the Hurontario Street corridor and runs east on Topflight Drive and north on Edwards Boulevard.
The maintenance facility will accommodate up to 42 light rail vehicles initially, and 74 over the long term. The LRT Control Centre will also be located here.
Future Expansion
The Loop
The original plans for the LRT called for a loop around the Square One area. Going northbound, the Loop would turn west at Burnhamthorpe Rd. W., continuing to either Duke of York Blvd or Confederation Pkwy. It would then turn north to Rathburn Rd. W., where it would turn eastward, proceeding to the City Centre Transit Hub.
The loop was initially shelved due to budget considerations, but funding was reinstated by the Ontario government in early 2024. At this moment, the LRT is expected to be finished as currently planned, with the Hurontario LRT Loop to be added later.
The key point is that funding is committed, and the Loop can be added at anytime without affecting LRT operations.
Downtown Brampton
Originally, the LRT was planned to continue beyond the Brampton Gateway Terminal, north along Main Street to Queen St. in downtown Brampton. This would provide a direct connection to the Kitchener GO Transit Line, and to the 501 Queen Züm route (Brampton’s busiest transit corridor).
This extension to downtown Brampton was voted down by Brampton City Council for reasons, and the funding from the province for the extension was withdrawn.
Funding was once again offered in 2024 for the extension, but the City of Brampton has stated it wants the LRT underground in its downtown core, adding greatly to the cost. We will see how this unfolds.
Economic Impacts along the LRT Corridor
Beyond its transportation benefits, the Hazel McCallion LRT is expected to boost economic growth and development along its corridor.
Studies around the world have shown that the presence of a rapid transit line drives economic growth. You only have to look at the Toronto skyline to see how economic activity and construction have closely followed the Yonge/University and Bloor subway lines.
I’m already seeing an influx of investment and development that is poised to further transform Mississauga. There are more than a few highrise condos planned or already under construction along the corridor. Everyone wants to live in close proximity to transit.
Environmental Considerations
The Hurontario Main LRT represents a significant step forward in Mississauga’s goal of environmental leadership. The LRT streetcars are electric powered, and have virtually no emissions.
By providing an alternative to private vehicles, the LRT will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and traffic congestion.
The LRT is expected to reduce some 3,900 tons of greenhouse gas annually by 2031.
With its modern, electric-powered trains and infrastructure designed to minimize environmental impacts, the Hazel McCallion LRT hopes to set a new standard for sustainable transit in Mississauga.
Long-Term Vision for Mississauga Transit
As the Hurontario LRT takes shape, it is important to recognize that this project represents just one piece of Mississauga’s broader vision for a more integrated, efficient, and sustainable transit system.
Looking ahead, city planners are exploring a range of complementary initiatives and investments aimed at enhancing mobility, connectivity, and accessibility for residents and visitors alike.
This includes the expansion of bus rapid transit (BRT) corridors, including the introduction of one along Dundas Street W.
Mississauga aims to create a multimodal transportation network that will serve the diverse needs of a growing and dynamic city.
Conclusion
These days, it’s a cliché to say that something is a “game-changer”. Nevertheless, I believe the Hazel McCallion LRT will be just that for commuters and residents in both Mississauga and Brampton.
It’s been a long wait already, and there is still a long ways to go, but the new LRT will transform both cities. Although the expected Hazel McCallion LRT completion date of late 2024 likely won’t be met, when the streetcars are finally running, let’s hope it all will have been worth it.
Stay tuned for updates as they become available.
categories: public transit in canada, hurontario lrt, light rail in ontario, passenger rail transport in peel region, light rail stations in canada, transport in mississauga, light rail in canada, metrolinx, mobilinx, alstom, tram and light rail transit systems under construction, mississauga lrt, mississauga lrt completion date, hazel mccallion line completion date, lrt mississauga, miway, brampton transit, 2025 in rail transport, passenger rail transport in mississauga, hurontario main lrt, brampton to mississauga
