The proposed Hamilton Light Rail Transit (LRT) project in Ontario will move forward with a 14-kilometer (8.7-mile) line planned between McMaster and Eastgate. The estimated C$3.4 billion (US$2.79 billion) project costs will be split between the government of Canada and the province of Ontario, which will each fund up to C$1.7 billion (US$1.4 billion).

It has been a bumpy ride for the proposed project that saw the province of Ontario commit C$1 billion to build light-rail in Hamilton only to see the province cancel the project in late 2019 citing rising costs – a move Hamilton elected officials called a betrayal.

The province, which stood by its financial commitment to the city, established a task force to develop a series of recommendations of where the investment could be applied. Among the recommendations, the task force noted LRT and bus rapid transit should be considered equally. A follow-up technical report determined an LRT option with only provincial funds would not allow a route long enough to benefit Hamilton residents to be built and urged the federal government to contribute. The project was added to a list of priority transit projects by the province. The original four also received a federal funding commitment earlier this week.

Read the full story at masstransitmag.com.