GO Transit

The creation of GO Transit commuter trains on the CNR between Oakville and Pickering effective May 1967 began a reversal of declining train movements which further increased in years to come with the addition of five new routes on both CNR and CPR. This increased traffic resulted in a number of changes over the years. From GO's inception the ticket and waiting concourse was located in the arrivals area of the station underneath the Great Hall. This space was originally known as the Exit Concourse for intercity passengers and it reverted to its original use following GO's move August 2, 1979 into a new GO Transit concourse located in the basement of the East Wing. Among the changes made to Union Station to accommodate this new concourse was the closing of the original 1954 TTC subway entrance located opposite the LCBO. Two new subway entrances were built at the north end of the new concourse, closing off the east part of the lower level driveway from Bay Street originally built for vehicular traffic and taxis. This area is now called the moat and is scheduled for extensive commercial redevelopment. The Post Office had occupied the East Wing since 1920 and moved out in the 1970s. The upper four floors of the East Wing are now occupied by Scotiabank, although they are expected to vacate the main floor in 2010, when that space will become public for the first time since the station was built. Scotiabank's lease of the top three floors expires in 2016, when it is expected that the space will be needed for further GO expansion. The GO concourse will change after the renovation of Union Station. It will be on the same level as the TTC mezzanine so people won't have to climb those dozen steps when exiting the subway station. Meanwhile GO has expanded further into the basement area underneath the train shed. By 2014, a continuous level concourse will extend from Bay to York Streets, with VIA occupying the centre portion.

This increase in trains eventually resulted in a small expansion of the train shed adding two more tracks as seen in this September 1979 photo by Ted Wickson. Another expansion in 2009 added another platform to squeeze in more tracks.

Finally, on July 1, 2000 after years of negotiations, the City of Toronto purchased the Union Station, CPX Building and the Toronto Terminals Railway itself, for $55 million. This sum included settlement of a long-disputed lease of the city-owned land. Later, the tracks were sold to GO Transit and Union Station Rail Corridor (USRC) was created. The TTR remains the legal federal railway operating the USRC as well as Union Station under contract to the owners. Note: Effective May 1, 2009 the City of Toronto took over the day-to-day operation of the Union Station (not USRC) from the TTR.

The first major change was the demolition of the former Canadian Pacific Express facility and office building at 141 Bay Street. Following closure of the Express operation automobile parking took over use of the ground level while the track level tracks lay abandoned. The office building was rented out, the last tenant being Budget Car and Truck Rental.

Canadian Pacific Express 137 & 141 Bay Street. August 1, 2001 R.L.Kennedy

Demolition of the 18 door dock is well underway by Priestly Demolition.
August 1, 2001 R.L.Kennedy.

GO Union Station Bus Terminal

Looking southeast from Front Street West.

Views from CN Tower looking east of Union Station.

VIA Rail Canada

VIA Rail replaced CNR and CPR in providing passenger service starting in 1976 and in the years following this, both railways moved their offices out a little at a time. The biggest change to the railway scene was outside the TTR property although adjoining it seamlessly. It came with the removal of the CNR Spadina roundhouse and coach yard replaced by VIA's own facility at CNR Mimico Yard, as well as closing of the CPR's John Street roundhouse, car shop and coach yard.

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