The Toronto Pearson Airport area is the home of Canada’s largest airport and second largest employment area, and a critical economic hub supporting growth across the country. The airport area is highly congested and transit travel times are long compared to driving, with low accessibility for workers especially those who need transit service outside peak times. The airport area sits at the juncture of three major municipalities, with transit services provided by four transit operators. 

Access was retained by Metrolinx and GTAA to lead the Airport Area Transportation Study (AATS), with the goal of identifying the preferred transit network to support transit growth to 2041. When the study was initiated in 2018, Access was the internal client and project manager under contract to the GTAA. In that role, we developed the study scope and RFP.

In early 2020, Access assumed the role of lead consultant reporting to both GTAA and Metrolinx. In that capacity we led a needs and opportunities assessment, developed transit network scenarios - different network configurations of LRT, BRT/Priority Bus and heavy rail infrastructure and policies for Metrolinx to model. Our team provides study recommendations – short, medium and long-term recommendations for the transit network and supporting policies, to guide airport area rapid transit project development, bus network planning, business cases and policies such as fare integration and airport area parking. This study is intended to serve as an important input to Metrolinx’s update of the Regional Transportation Plan.