Queen St Hwy 7 BRT

The Initial Business Case (IBC) identified the need to provide rapid transit connections within the City of Brampton and through to York Region to meet current and projected future demand. The Q7BRT would provide an east/west connection between Brampton and Vaughan – two areas that have a large employment base and a growing population.

The proposed Q7BRT would run along a 24-kilometre stretch on Queen Street and along Highway 7 from Mississauga Road in Brampton through to Wigwoss Drive / Helen Street in Vaughan, before continuing onto the existing VIVA Rapidway to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Eighteen of the 24 kilometres would be within Peel Region and six would be within York Region.

The Q7BRT is still in the planning phase and exact stop locations have yet to be determined.

Stops along the proposed Q7BRT route would be spaced between one and two kilometers, on average.

The vehicle capacity of buses used on the corridor will be identified and developed in coordination with municipal stakeholders. Typical seating capacity is between 40-60 seats depending on whether conventional or articulated buses are being operated.

Bus frequency is still being evaluated. It is anticipated that buses will operate at a minimum of every 5 minutes in the peak period.

Bus rapid transit uses dedicated bus lanes but also has the flexibility to switch to mixed-use traffic lanes should traffic jams or other blockages be encountered.

BRT is significantly cheaper to build and operate, can take advantage of existing roadways, and allows for scalability for future expansion or service changes. BRT vehicles also have the flexibility to run in mixed traffic, when necessary, because they operate on roadways and can avoid delays such as when a dedicated lane is blocked by emergency vehicles.

Roles and responsibilities between municipalities, transit agencies, Metrolinx and the Province for advancing the Q7BRT will be discussed in the next phase of this study.

Cost estimates and proposed construction timelines will be developed to inform the Preliminary Design Business Case as part of the preliminary design process.

The project has now advanced to the next stage of work (Stage 2 of the project lifecycle), which includes advancing the project through planning, preliminary design (PD), environmental assessment (TPAP) and Preliminary Design Business Case (PDBC). Funding requirements and sources to advance the project to detailed design and construction are yet to be identified in the next stage.

Proposed construction timelines will be identified as part of future stages of work.

The Preliminary Design Business Case and the Transit Project Assessment Process, including the preliminary design, is currently underway. A proposed construction timeline will be developed as part of this work.

Q7BRT would connect with existing York Region Transit Viva Rapidway as well as GO Transit, Brampton Transit, and the TTC. It would provide a crucial and much-needed east/west transit route that would connect York and Peel regions with connectivity to the cities of Brampton, Vaughan, and Toronto as well as other regional destinations.

The preliminary design business case focuses on determining optimal service levels along the corridor. Decisions on system operations are being discussed, but it is anticipated that Brampton Zum and York VIVA will operate on the corridor.

The time it would take to travel the entire route depends on the infrastructure chosen along the corridor. The corridor travel time will be estimated once a short list of infrastructure options has been selected.

Bike lanes are planned to be included along the route. Design and placement will be determined throughout preliminary design.

Property owners of potentially impacted properties will be contacted during the Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP).

Metrolinx is committed to engaging with impacted property owners to develop solutions that support businesses and citizens during construction and once the BRT corridor is operational.

A Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) is a focused environmental impact assessment process created specifically for transit projects. The process involves a pre-planning phase followed by a regulated (up to 120 days) consultation and documentation period. These phases include consultation, assessment of impacts, development of measures to mitigate negative impacts, and documentation.

Consultation occurs throughout the process with the public, stakeholders, and Indigenous Nations. A 30-day public review period follows these phases where the public can review the Environmental Project Report (EPR) and provide additional comments. The public review period is then followed by a 35-day Minister’s review period. A TPAP makes sure that the natural, social, cultural, and economic environments are assessed and potential adverse effects from the proposed project are avoided, mitigated, or minimized where feasible.

TPAPs are regulated under Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Act, and are submitted for the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks’ review prior to proceeding with the transit project.

The PDBC evaluates the Queen Street-Highway 7 BRT (Q7BRT) project across strategic, economic, financial, and operational and deliverability cases. It also sets out the project costs, benefits, risks, and barriers, which will assist Metrolinx and its partners in developing future phases of work on the corridor. The Preliminary Design Business Case (PDBC) is developed in parallel with the 30% preliminary design work and the Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP).

There are multiple ways you can connect with us. You can leave a comment by filling out our comment card or join us in one of our future Public Information Centres (PICs), as well as during the 30-day public review period. In addition, you can subscribe to receive project updates.

The Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) will consider impacts to the environment and mitigation strategies. Climate change sustainability will also be considered.

As the population grows, rapid transit provides an alternative to car use, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion. Since many rapid transit trips start and end with an active mode of transportation, the proposed Queen Street-Highway 7 BRT (Q7BRT) project would help to improve the environment and our health.