Toronto residents upset over changes to Ontario UP Express

The Ontario government has canceled planned changes to UP Express service after the announcement sparked outrage from Toronto residents.

In a social media post late Tuesday, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said he had instructed Metrolinx not to proceed with changes to two transit stations that would have limited stops on the express line.

While the goal is to provide a faster option for people traveling between Union and Pearson, I've heard concerns from riders about service to Weston and Bloor stations along the UP Express line.

I have directed Metrolinx not to proceed with these changes.

— Prabmeet Sarkaria (@PrabSarkaria) April 16, 2024

“While the intent is to provide a faster option for people traveling between ON and Pearson, I have heard concerns from riders about service to Weston and Bloor stations along the UP Express line,” Sarkaria said in a post.

The changes came after nearly 3,000 people signed a petition to overturn the changes. The petition comes after the Ontario government announced changes to GO Transit and UP Express (UPX) service on Monday.

As part of the announcement, the government said every second express train will run non-stop between Union Station and Toronto Pearson International Airport.

The UP Express runs every 15 minutes, meaning residents of Weston and Bloor stations will only be able to access the line every 30 minutes under the new service changes.

The government said the change would be offset by an increase in trains on the Kitchener GO line, which also stops at those two stations. The service will increase to a frequency of 30 minutes along the line during the day and evening between Bramalea GO and Union Stations, with journeys increasing to 10 cars on some weekends.

Earlier, Sarkaria told reporters that UP Express should always be the link between Union Station and Pearson Airport.

“We're seeing an increase in demand for people wanting to go to the airport,” he said at Queen's Park.

“But I want to reassure everyone that the extension of the Kitchener line will give passengers the option of going to Union via these stops every 30 minutes.”

In a petition posted on change.org on April 15, the new service will affect access to downtown Toronto and exacerbate “existing problems of overcrowding” while reducing amenities, which the organizer said “attracted us to our neighborhoods in the first place.”

“Changes to the UP Express schedule threaten the very essence of efficient and affordable public transportation for residents of low-income communities like Weston,” the petition states.

“For many of us, the UP Express is more than just a mode of travel, it's a means of getting to downtown Toronto quickly and reliably.”

Rush hour overcrowding on the Bloor Metro line is a concern. It takes about 15 minutes on the UP Express to travel between Weston Station on the city's west side and Union Station in downtown Toronto — the petition said it would take about 1.5 hours on the TTC.

Davenport City Councilor Alejandra Bravo said on social media that one in four airport workers rely on public transportation to get to work.

“Following the UPX rate increase for airport workers earlier this year, the UPX schedule change for airport workers in Davenport Toronto will make getting to work even more difficult,” he said.

“These changes will also affect the way people in our community travel to the town center and Weston. Even with improved GO service, poor timetable coordination and delays can leave people waiting.”

Before the changes were rolled out, a Metrolinx spokeswoman said commuters in Weston and Bloor would still experience about 15 minutes of service between UP Express and GO, with four trains an hour.

Expanding the number of trains on the Kitchener Line will also allow more people to take advantage of the One Fare program, which allows free transportation between the province's TTC and GO Transit lines, making it an affordable option for some people.

Metrolinx said overcrowding on UP Express platforms was also a factor.

It is unclear whether the decision not to proceed with changes to the UP Express will affect the promised additional service on the Kitchener line, which will take effect on April 28.