All-day, 2-way GO trains not delayed, still a top priority for province: MPP Fee

Kitchener South-Hespeler MPP Amy Fee says there's no delay in all-day, two-way GO trains arriving in Waterloo region.

Fee was responding to comments made by Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife who said a new report from Metrolinx has extended the start of GO Rapid Rail services for the Kitchener line to an arrival between 2025 and 2030.

Fife, an NDP MPP, questioned Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek, saying that timeline doesn't work for the region.

"Our province will never be able to compete globally if Kitchener-Waterloo and Toronto are separated by a 100-kilometre long parking lot," Fife said during question period on Wednesday.

Yurek responded by saying he has been working with his fellow Progressive Conservative MPPs from Waterloo region, including Fee, Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris Jr. and Cambridge MPP Belinda Karahalios.

The previous Liberal government had indicated they hoped to have all-day, two-way GO trains to Waterloo region by 2024.

'A top priority for us'

In a statement Thursday, Fee said Fife is mistaken in believing it could take until 2030 for all-day, two-way GO trains to reach Kitchener.

"Mike Harris, Belinda Karahalios and myself advocate for this service increase daily with the minister of transportation, and we are confident that our efforts will pay off," Fee said in the release.

Fee tweeted her response at Fife on Thursday, writing, "We're working on it."

Fife tweeted back asking Fee to read the Metrolinx report.

"It pushes the delivery of #2wadgo from a completion date of 2024 to anywhere between 2025-2030. How is that not a delay?" Fife's tweet said.