Transportation and Logistics

Durham Region's transportation infrastructure is a catalyst for generating connections for commercial and individual needs.

The Region's infrastructure is made up of an integrated network of provincial and regional highways, deep-sea shipping ports, transcontinental and commuter railway lines, as well as proximity to local and international airports.

The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is interconnected by an extensive road network consisting of 365 miles of major provincial highway networks and five municipal highways. Highway 401 carries almost half a million people per day, reflecting the GTA's rapidly growing economy. Direct connection to the United States Interstate highway system in less than a 1.5 hour drive.

Transportation

Freight rail

International sea ports

St. Marys Cement
Port of Oshawa Harbour
- The Port of Oshawa provides access to the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System for inter-lake and overseas commercial shipping and is the only seaway-depth harbour on Lake Ontario between Toronto and Montreal. The Port is an inter-modal facility with a CN rail spur. In 2024, the Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA) announced a new partnership to establish Lake Ontario short sea shipping, connecting key Canada-US markets. The new port-to-port connection will link Oshawa, Ontario and Somerset, New York. Learn more about HOPA.

Air

Oshawa Airport
Lester B. Pearson International Airport (Toronto)
- More than 45% of Canada’s air cargo is processed at Pearson Airport and it is capable of processing 1 million tonnes of air cargo annually. The airport operates 240 truck loading doors, 1.2 million square feet of on-airport warehouse space, and 24/7 customs clearance. At the core of a major highway and rail network, 130,000,000 customers are within a day’s drive.
Billy Bishop Island Airport (Toronto)

Infrastructure Projects

The dynamic and increasing growth of the Durham Region is being supported by significant infrastructure investments. These are contributing to increasing economic opportunities for the region.

Highway 407 East extension

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) completed a $1.2 billion project to extend Highway 407 to Highway 35/115 in Clarington. The project included:

About 22 kilometres from Harmony Road in Oshawa to Highway 35/115 in Clarington;
Connected highways 401 and 407 with a 10-kilometre north-south freeway, known as Highway 412; and,
Eight new interchanges, including three freeway-to-freeway connections (Highway 407 East and Highway 401, from Highway 418 and Highway 35/115).

View the Highway 407 extension map.

Metrolinx GO Transit train extension

In 2023, Metrolinx awarded a Request for Proposal for the Bowmanville Extension project to expand rail service to Clarington. This project is set to provide Durham Region with more direct connections to the larger GO Transit network. The project is expected to help reduce congestion in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), connect people to jobs, and help minimize greenhouse gas pollution by reducing car trips and improving travel times.

Learn more about this project on the Region's GO Lakeshore East Extension website, and view the latest construction notices and community documents for this project.

Map of infrastructure in Durham Region.

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