Light rail is the modern adaptation of the streetcar. Streetcars (or electric street railways) were the standard form of public transit in many mid-sized to large North American cities until the late 1940's. At that point, most cities abandoned streetcar networks in favour of diesel buses. Only a few cities kept their streetcars into the present day. Toronto (the TTC) is the only Canadian example.
In the case of Waterloo, the region is proposing an electric railway servicing several major destinations in the Kitchener Waterloo area. Unlike buses, the line will run in its own private right-of-way separated from automobile traffic. Thus the rail transit vehicles can travel freely without being affected by street traffic volume.
Waterloo Region Central Transit Corridor (CTC)
Waterloo Region's Strategic Proposal for a Light Rail Transit (LRT) System
Proposed Routing for Phase 1: St. Jacobs Farmers Market
to Downtown Kitchener via Waterloo and King Street.
| Friday, 27 December 1946: | "Abrupt" closing of streetcar service in Kitchener-Waterloo |
| Monday, 26 March 1973: | Closing of electric (trolley) bus service in Kitchener-Waterloo |
| Saturday, 1 January 2000: | Waterloo Region creates Grand River Transit |
| Friday, 2 March 2001: | Waterloo Region purchases rail line |
| Wednesday, 10 April 2002: | Waterloo Region Unveils LRT Proposal |
| Thursday, 17 April 2003: | Light-rail link wins support from province |
| Wednesday, 28 May 2003: | Waterloo Region Unveils Revised LRT Proposal |
