Abstract Manager

Toronto’s earliest railway infrastructure dates back to the 1850s. It's impressive to see how this historical network has been preserved and continues to serve Torontonians today. However, like most of Toronto's older infrastructure, stormwater management was either overlooked or inadequately addressed in the original designs. To complicate matters, the rail corridors have changed ownership multiple times between different railway authorities, and have undergone numerous extensions and expansions, making it even more challenging to understand the existing stormwater management system implemented at the railways. This study will discuss the challenges in assessing the existing drainage conditions in the rail corridors and the common issues present in the current system. 

Moreover, considering the impacts of climate change, the current railway infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable to major storm events. Failures in the stormwater system can lead to significant flooding at the railways, causing environmental, social, and economic impacts, such as disruption of train operations, infrastructural damage or even endangering the passengers. Today, with increased awareness of stormwater management, several standards and regulations have been developed and are now required when designing stormwater systems for railways. This study will review relevant stormwater management design standards used in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), and how these regulations can help mitigate the aforementioned impacts, ensuring resilient and sustainable stormwater management.