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Getting a handle on taking the commuter train is a tough ticket to punch.
BarrieToday got started by asking its readers about how often they use the GO train.
Daily use got 27 votes, or 2.43 per cent of those who responded. Weekly use received 32 votes or 2.89 per cent, and monthly use got 64 votes or 5.77 per cent.
Just on a rare occasion got 550 votes from riders or 49.59 of respondents, while never taken the GO train before received 436 votes or 39.31 per cent.
The city has two commuter train stations — Allandale Waterfront GO and Barrie South GO.
There are seven GO trains heading south on the Barrie Line from Allandale Waterfront, which is the northern end of the line, and Barrie South GO stations on weekday mornings, with seven coming back in the evening, as well as six trains each way on Saturdays and Sundays.
A total of 1,109 BarrieToday readers voted in the poll, which is a sampling of public opinion intended solely to allow these readers to express themselves on issues of the day. Its findings may not be representative of the general population of Barrie or other areas.
Metrolinx, which operates GO Transit commuter trains, shared what it calls "journey data" for the last three months at both Allandale Waterfront GO and Barrie South GO stations.
The average weekly trips, down and back to the Greater Toronto Area, total 1,260. Meanwhile, the average weekend trips total 780.
GO isn’t sitting still on the commuter front, however.
Last year, Metrolinx announced plans to build a second rail line between Barrie and Toronto’s Union Station and offer, eventually, two-way, all-day service every 15 minutes.
As part of adding that second line to the existing rail corridor, there is work to be done — including removing existing vegetation, relocating underground and overhead utilities, installing noise barrier wall posts and panels, security fencing and replanting vegetation where required.
This work is to be done by 2024, and the second set of tracks built after 2025.
How long this will take, when the tracks will be operational, what it will cost and how many more trains GO will acquire for 15-minute service is unknown. But it would begin with 30-minute service to Barrie on weekdays and 60-minute service on weekends.
Census Canada has more about the habits of this city’s commuters.
An overall total of 37.7 per cent of commuters — or 16,835 of 44,675 employees — left Barrie for work, according to the 2021 Census, which was the last year it was done. This means the remainder of Barrie’s workforce, or 62.3 per cent, work in Barrie.
This is down from an overall total of 39.5 per cent — or 23,135 employees of 58,485 — who left Barrie for work, according to the 2016 Census.
“Based on the 2021 Census, approximately 62.3 per cent of the local labour force lives and works in Barrie, which is up from the 60.5 per cent identified through the previous census (2016),” said Darcy Brooke-Bisschop, the city’s manager of business development. “The remaining 37.7 per cent leave the city for work, primarily to destinations south of Barrie, led by Toronto, New Tecumseth, Vaughan and Innisfil.”
He said almost an exact equal number of workers also travel into Barrie for work, largely from the city’s neighbours in Springwater Township, Innisfil, Oro-Medonte Township and Essa Township.
“Since the time the latest census was conducted, Barrie has seen continued growth both in terms of residential development and employment, and we’ve consistently seen growth through responding businesses identified through our annual business and employer data survey,” said Brooke-Bisschop.
“Coupled with changes that have occurred at many workplaces with remote-work arrangements since the census was last completed, we expect to see continued growth in the number of people who are able to live and work right here in Barrie," he added.
