New transit station just started construction in Toronto

Construction is officially underway on the new Woodbine GO Station following a Thursday ground breaking for the long-awaited new stop on GO's Kitchener Line.

Originally scheduled to open in 2023, the project has been delayed and is now only getting underway two years after it was expected to enter service.

Set to be one of the busiest stations on the GO network once operational, Woodbine GO will replace the nearby Etobicoke North Station — which the province states " lacks the capacity to accommodate future growth along the line."

Ontario Premier Doug Ford was joined on Thursday by Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and Michael Copeland, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment, to celebrate the start of construction for the station.

"The new Woodbine GO Station is going to be a gamechanger for Etobicoke and for commuters coming in from across the Greater Golden Horseshoe," said Ford.

Mayor Chow added that "Woodbine GO Station will make it easier for thousands of people to get to work and the downtown core and enable more housing that will come to this area", and touted the cooperation between levels of government, stating "partnering with the province through the New Deal, we are building a better city for everyone."

In addition to modernizing regional transit access in this pocket of Etobicoke, the project is expected to be a significant boon for the nearby Woodbine Racetrack.

"Bringing mass transit to Woodbine is a transformative step for our racetrack and the broader North Etobicoke community," said Woodbine Entertainment CEO Michael Copeland. "This new transit connection unlocks the potential of our property to become a vibrant, inclusive, and transit-connected urban centre — with Woodbine Racetrack at its heart."

The completed station will feature rail platforms, accessible facilities, pedestrian bridges, a bus loop and a passenger waiting area, as well as car-specific infrastructure like dedicated parking and a passenger pick-up/drop-off area.

No completion date has been announced.