ION anniversary: Looking back – and ahead – at Waterloo Regions big transit project [Video]

On June 21, 2019, the first ION Light Rail Transit (LRT) train departed Fairway Station.

Five years later, it has become a daily use for many in Waterloo Region. ION trains have carried more than 19 million passengers and more than $5 billion has been invested in development along the ION line.

“To see the way that this community is responding to this infrastructure is really gratifying,” said Rod Regier, commissioner of planning, development and legislative services for the Region of Waterloo.

To celebrate the milestone, all transit services will be free on the weekend of June 22 and 23, including the LRT, buses and MobilityPLUS services.

On June 22, Grand River Transit (GRT) will be hosting a party at Fairway Station from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

History of the LRT

The launch came after more than a decade of planning and five years of construction.

The idea for the LRT first came …