Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario government has broken ground on GO Transit’s Bowmanville Extension, a major expansion of the Lakeshore East GO line aimed at easing congestion and improving access to transit in Durham Region.
The project will extend the Lakeshore East line 18.7 kilometres east from the Durham College Oshawa GO Station to Bowmanville, accommodating an estimated 17,000 daily trips and 4.9 million boardings annually by 2041. Once complete, the extension will offer two-way, all-day service, placing an estimated 10,400 jobs within walking distance of transit and improving access to housing along the corridor.
The Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) welcomed the start of construction, citing the economic benefits of improved regional mobility.
“RCCAO welcomes the start of construction on the Bowmanville GO Extension, a transformative project that will improve regional mobility and help address the growing economic and social costs of congestion,” said Nadia Todorova, executive director of RCCAO. “Our research has consistently demonstrated these costs, underscoring why investments in transit expansion like this are critical to the efficient movement of people across the region. RCCAO commends the Ontario government for advancing this important transit project and continuing to connect communities to jobs and housing across the province.”
The first phase of construction includes rebuilding and modifying bridges along the rail corridor, relocating utilities, and making improvements at the Durham College Oshawa GO Station and the adjacent VIA Rail building. Early works began in spring 2025 and included tree clearing, geotechnical investigations and the installation of a new watermain in Oshawa.
When operational, trains on the Bowmanville Extension will run every 30 minutes during peak periods, hourly during off-peak periods and every two hours on weekends. Four stations are planned along the route at Thornton’s Corners East, Ritson Road, Courtice and Bowmanville.
Metrolinx president and CEO Michael Lindsay said awarding the major construction contract marks a key step toward expanding GO service in the region.
“Awarding the major construction contract for the Bowmanville Extension moves us one step closer to providing GO Train service to more people across Durham Region,” Lindsay said. “This project will extend the Lakeshore East line by nearly 20 km, supporting 17,000 daily trips by 2041, and will add the transit capacity needed to keep pace with Durham’s rapid growth.”
The Bowmanville Extension is part of a broader provincial push to expand GO rail service, which also includes the ongoing Kitchener GO Extension serving the Kitchener-Waterloo region.
