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7 | W aterloo C hronicle | T hursday,D ecem ber 27,2018 w aterloochronicle.ca OB X I N G EEW K AS L E TS A R T S DOT YA SATURDAY DECEMBER 29DECEMBER 29DECEMBER 29DECEMBER 29 9AM 6PM THURSDAY DECEMBER 27DECEMBER 27DECEMBER 27DECEMBER 27DECEMBER 27 9AM 9PM SUNDAY DECEMBER 30DECEMBER 30DECEMBER 30 10AM 5PM FRIDAY DECEMBER 28DECEMBER 28DECEMBER 28DECEMBER 28DECEMBER 28 9AM 9PM SALE HOURS NONO TAX!TAX!TAX! STOREWIDE! 1362 VICTORIA STREET N. KITCHENER 519.742.9188 W W W . . C O M KITCHENER - It's not two-way, all day GO train service, but it's a step in the right direction. That's the consensus from local leaders after provincial Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek an- nounced one additional train will leave Kitchener weekday mornings and re- turn weekday evenings starting in early 2019. A morning trip to To- ronto that currently be- gins at the Georgetown GO station will now begin at the Kitchener rail station at 5:40 a.m. It will also stop in Guelph and Acton, and arrive at Union Station in Toronto at 7:43 a.m. An afternoon trip that currently leaves Union Station at 3:35 p.m. and ends in Georgetown will be extended to Waterloo Region, arriving at the Kitchener station at 5:43 p.m. It will also make stops in Acton and Guelph. The increased service begins Jan. 7 and will cost the government an addi- tional $1.1 million annual- ly. "It's a step in the right direction. It's encourag- ing," said regional chair Karen Redman after the announcement on Monday afternoon. "But it's not where we need to be, we re- ally need two-way, all-day GO." Currently, four GO trains leave Kitchener on weekday mornings - at 5:24 a.m., 6:04 a.m., 6:47 a.m. and 7:10 a.m., and four GO trains arrive in Kitchener on weekday evenings - at 6:45 p.m., 7:27 p.m., 7:57 p.m. and 8:57 p.m. "It's certainly good news," said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. "It's something we've been advocating for with the new government since they were elected." The transportation minister said anyone who has driven along the 401 corridor at any time of the day knows how frustrating and costly gridlock can be. "We all know public transit is essential to get Ontario moving again," Yurek said. "This is an im- portant step in our plan to deliver two-way, all-day GO service between Kitch- ener and Toronto. This is just the first step we'll be taking." The increased service is possible as a result of ne- gotiations with CN Rail to free up track space for more passenger service along the corridor. Yurek said he hopes to return to the region in 12 to 18 months with an update on two-way, all-day GO ser- vice, which was part of the PC government's election campaign this past fall. Yurek wouldn't commit to a firm timeline for when that service might start operation, however, say- ing it would come "as soon as possible." The previous Liberal provincial govern- ment had promised the service by 2024. Earlier this month, NDP MPP Catherine Fife said she was worried Met- rolinx was pushing two- way, all-day GO service past that date and as late as 2030. Metrolinx has refut- ed that claim. In an interview Monday afternoon, the Waterloo MPP said the announce- ment of increased train service will be welcomed by commuters in this re- gion, but she's still waiting on full two-way, all-day service. "My work is to keep their feet to the fire, and I have every intention of do- ing so," Fife said. Ian McLean, president and CEO of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Cham- ber of Commerce, said im- provements to passenger rail service is critical for the technology corridor that links Toronto and Wa- terloo Region. "This is the No. 1 ask - it helps with gridlock, mov- ing people, moving talent along the corridor - and this is just an absolute es- sential," he said. jjackson@there- cord.com LOCAL KITCHENER GETTING ADDITIONAL GO TRAIN TRIPS JAMES JACKSON jjackson@therecord.com Ontario Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek announced an expansion of GO train service to Kitchener on Monday. Toronto Star file photo A MORNING TRIP TO TORONTO THAT CURRENTLY BEGINS AT THE GEORGETOWN GO STATION WILL NOW BEGIN AT THE KITCHENER RAIL STATION AT 5:40 A.M. IT WILL ALSO STOP IN GUELPH AND ACTON, AND ARRIVE AT UNION STATION IN TORONTO AT 7:43 A.M.