Stratford, Ont., Mayor Martin Ritsma had a big smile as he played I’m So Excited by The Pointer Sisters and stood in front of a green and white GO train at his city’s station Friday morning.

“Good things come to those who wait,” he told a news conference. “It’s a little bit like Christmas. Last night I didn’t sleep a whole lot, hoping that what I’d wanted would arrive this morning.”

Ritsma’s gift was the announcement that starting July 6, Stratford will get daily GO train service between his southern Ontario city and Toronto. 

Ritsma said the announcement is good news for workers, students and tourists who live in and visit Stratford.

On weekdays, the train will travel from Stratford to Toronto’s Union Station in the mornings, leaving Stratford just after 6 a.m. and arriving in Toronto before 9 a.m. The return trip in the evenings would leave Toronto around 5 p.m. and arrive in Stratford at about 7:30 p.m.. 

On weekends, the train will start in Toronto and bring people to Stratford in the mornings, then return to Toronto later in the day.

Ontario’s Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria and Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsey were in Stratford for the announcement.

Sarkaria said the announcement was part of the provincial government’s pledge to make a “stronger, more resilient and self reliant economy.”

“This new service will help drive economic growth in Stratford for years to come. It will strengthen connections across southwestern Ontario and it will make life easier for the thousands of people who live here and visit this city every single year,” Sarkaria said.

He noted over the last few years, the province has seen success on the Kitchener line and “the ridership just skyrocket.”

Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae said it was “a great day for Stratford and really Perth County.”