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rail corridor south of Orangeville

Peel Regional Council has endorsed a report outlining the intent to finalize the acquisition of approximately 51 km of the former Orangeville-Brampton Railway corridor from the Orangeville Railway Development Corporation, for the purposes of a recreational trail and future utility corridor to help meet the needs of a growing Region. The anticipated closing date is July 13, 2022.

The Region entered into a conditional agreement to purchase the lands in August 2021. Recognizing the strategic significance of the corridor and its crossing of municipal boundaries the Region has worked in co-ordination with the local municipalities throughout the process. 

The lands, which run from the Caledon-Orangeville boundary to just north of Streetsville, are intended to be largely transferred to the City of Brampton, Town of Caledon and City of Mississauga on closing. The local municipalities have signed an agreement with the Region to complete the transfer.

Orangeville-Brampton Railway

Since 2000, the Orangeville-Brampton Railway has served several industries in Orangeville and Brampton, and also operated as a public excursion train from 2004-2018. With the reduction in rail traffic in recent years, the user group provided formal notice in 2020 that it would terminate its agreement and service on the line as of December 31, 2021. The last train out of Orangeville was on December 17, 2021.

Quotes:

“The acquisition of the Orangeville Brampton Railway lands is an excellent example of the partnership between the Region and local municipalities and shows that we can realize positive and innovative outcomes for the community, when we work together,” said Regional Chair Nando Iannicca, Region of Peel.

“The acquisition of the Orangeville-Brampton rail corridor highlights the success of municipal collaboration and is a major win for advancing regional active transportation connectivity. This corridor will be an exciting addition to Brampton’s growing active transportation network, it will further support our revitalization efforts in the downtown core through our Integrated Downtown Plan and it complements the City’s recent acquisition of the ORDC lands between Railway Street and Queen Street. I applaud our regional partners for their vision on this project and I am excited to see how we build upon it in the future for residents, businesses, and visitors alike," said Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.

“Acquiring this rail corridor gives the Town the opportunity to create a new north-south recreation trail that will travel through some of Caledon’s more scenic areas, connecting citizens and visitors to the natural environment, shops and restaurants in the villages of Alton, Inglewood and emerging communities in Mayfield West, creating a legacy for Caledon. The over 50 km trail also connects Caledon, Brampton and Mississauga. The corridor will be available for the continued expansion of rural services like broadband Internet and will benefit the health and wellness of our citizens, support local business and enhance the recreational experience,” said Caledon Mayor Allan Thompson.

“Accessible green spaces promote mental and physical well-being and are a core part of our mission to build healthy communities as our City continues to grow. I’m thrilled with the collaboration that’s occurred to bring this new trail into existence and look forward to its addition to the already expansive Mississauga trail network,” said Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie.

“The sale of the railway corridor by the Orangeville Railway Development Corporation of which the Town of Orangeville is the sole shareholder sees the lands stay in public ownership thanks to the forward planning by municipal and regional municipalities, and it opens the door for a recreational trail which will become a significant regional tourism asset,” said Orangeville Mayor Sandy Brown.