TORONTO — The Ontario government has officially begun work along all parts of the Ontario Line subway, marking a significant milestone in the province’s plan to bring nearly 230,000 people within walking distance of fast and convenient public transit. Under the final contract, work has begun to build the Don Valley Crossing Bridge and the West Don Crossing Bridge, which will carry Ontario Line trains across the Don Valley toward the downtown core.
“The Ontario Line is at the centre of our government’s nearly $70 billion plan to expand public transit across the province and today’s announcement shows we are getting it done,” said Premier Doug Ford. “This transformational project is going to cut commute times for hundreds of thousands of riders every day, connecting to transit services from across the region and creating new economic opportunities all along the line.”
The Ontario Line will exit an underground tunnel on the east side of the Don Valley at Minton Place, south of the Leaside Bridge. The line will then travel over the valley on the new Don Valley Crossing and West Don Crossing bridges, connecting to elevated guideways through Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park, cutting transit times by more than half for families and workers along the line.
“Five years ago, our government unveiled Ontario’s new historic transportation vision for the Greater Toronto Area. Today, we are delivering on that vision with all contracts awarded and work underway across the entire line,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we will continue to build the most ambitious transit plan in North America to cut gridlock and drive economic growth for generations to come.”
After beginning excavation for the Ontario Line’s King-Bathurst, Moss Park and Queen-Spadina stations and breaking ground at Pape Station, crews will soon start excavating Corktown and Osgoode stations. Corktown Station will give thousands of riders access to the nearby Distillery District while the Ontario Line Osgoode Station will link directly to the TTC’s Line 1 (Yonge-University) and give more than 12,000 daily rush-hour commuters a new, vital interchange connection that will help reduce crowding at Union Station by 14 per cent.
“Public transit will provide faster, greener and more reliable transportation for commuters across the city of Toronto, that is why in 2021, we announced over $4 billion in support for the Ontario Line,” said Parliamentary Secretary Peter Fragiskatos on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. “With the launch of Canada Public Transit Fund in July, we are investing nearly $30 billion over 10 years to improve transit across Canada. Once the Ontario Line is complete, thousands of Torontonians will have improved access to fast and reliable public transit.”
Once complete, the Ontario Line will have 15 stations, running from Exhibition Place through the downtown core and connecting to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT at Don Mills Road. The line will offer more than 40 connections to other subway, bus, streetcar and regional train services, reducing daily car trips by at least 28,000.
“People need more public transit options to travel around our city. The Ontario Line will help generations of Torontonians get to work, school or run errands around Toronto – without having to drive,” said Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto. “It’s a historic investment and I’m pleased that it is well underway. Working together, we can build a more convenient, reliable, affordable and safe public transit system.”
As part of the Transportation Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the government is delivering Ontario’s priority transit projects, which include the largest subway expansion in Canadian history – the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and the Yonge North Subway Extension.
Quick Facts
In Toronto’s east end, from the Lower Don River and into Leslieville, major upgrades are underway, which include new bridge construction and noise barrier installations to the above-ground rail corridor where Ontario Line trains will run.
In the north end, work is underway to prepare for major construction for the new Thorncliffe Park Station.
The Ontario Line alone will support 4,700 jobs annually during construction over the next decade, as well as reduce commute times and connect more people to housing across the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
Ontario is investing nearly $70 billion in the largest transit expansion in North America to build and expand public transit.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.
The new Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) will provide an average of $3 billion a year of permanent federal funding to respond to local transit needs by enhancing integrated planning, improving access to public transit and active transportation and supporting the development of more affordable, sustainable and inclusive communities.
By 2041, the Ontario Line will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 14,000 tonnes annually and cut overall fuel consumption by more than seven million litres a year – the equivalent of nearly 120,000 fill-ups at the pump per year.
Quotes
"Shovels are in the ground on the entire Ontario Line and we are well on our way towards delivering seamless rapid transit throughout the Greater Toronto Area. We are not only building better and faster transit, but also vibrant, mixed-use communities along the Ontario Line. From Corktown to East Harbour, King-Bathurst to Thorncliffe Park, our proposed transit-oriented communities on the Ontario Line will bring more housing, including affordable units, jobs, community amenities and retail space near transit stations in neighbourhoods all across Toronto."
- Kinga Surma
Minister of Infrastructure
"With partners selected to deliver on all the project’s contracts and work underway across all parts of the Ontario Line, we are making significant progress in bringing more transit options to commuters. From end to end, the Ontario Line will cut transit journey times by more than half, going from 70 minutes to less than 30 minutes."
- Phil Verster
President and CEO of Metrolinx
"To enable work to start as soon as possible on all sections of the 15.6-kilometre Ontario Line, we adopted a strategic approach to deliver the project through multiple contracting packages. We are pleased to have successfully onboarded various contracting teams who will work together to build a brand-new subway line that will greatly enhance transit service in the most populous city in the country."
- Michael Lindsay
President and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario
"Today’s milestone is a big step toward building the transit network our region needs. After decades of underinvestment, RCCAO commends the Government of Ontario for investing in critical transportation infrastructure across the Greater Toronto Area to tackle congestion and boost economic growth. The Ontario Line will bring much-needed transit capacity to help ease gridlock and improve mobility across Toronto. This project is vital for creating a more efficient transit system that supports our economy and enhances quality of life for all Ontarians."
- Nadia Todorova
Executive Director of Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO)
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