The Ontario government has extended GO Train service on weekends between Toronto and Niagara Falls to operate year-round in an attempt to attract more visitors to one of the province's busiest tourist hubs.

Premier Doug Ford announced on Friday and said the increased service would be a "major boost" for the area. Ford said, "This is just one part of our mission to build Ontario by providing more transportation options to one of the fastest-growing areas in the province."

Before Friday's announcement, the service only operated Monday through Friday and was seasonal on weekends.

The change will now see trains run two round trips every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday holiday starting October 15.

Passengers can purchase weekend tickets for $10, which provide unlimited travel on any of those days. For an additional $5, passengers can get unlimited travel for the entire weekend, including holidays.

This announcement is welcome news for businesses in Niagara Falls, which were hit particularly hard after pandemic lockdowns and COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Previously, Niagara Falls regularly saw 12 million visitors annually.

That number dropped by two-thirds at the peak of the pandemic, according to Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati, who spoke with CTV News Toronto in May 2020.

Year-round weekend service to Niagara Falls from Union Station was first introduced in 2019 but was abruptly halted after the emergence of COVID-19.

GO Train service to Niagara is currently available on weekdays and seasonal on weekends.

Ford explained that he had always planned to resume service "as soon as possible" and said Friday’s announcement fulfills that promise.