The highly anticipated Ontario Line project in Toronto is notably advancing, having reached a major construction milestone as construction is now active across the full length of the line, with tunnelling underway.
“The start of tunnelling is a historic milestone for the Ontario Line which, once complete, will help cut travel times for commuters across Toronto by 40 minutes,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Our government will continue to fight gridlock and keep workers on the job by leading the largest expansion of public transit in North America.”
Two tunnel boring machines are working away at twin tunnels that run as deep as 40 metres below the surface. Tunnelling will be conducted in phases, with the first tunnel boring machine digging the tunnel for the eastbound track, followed by the second tunnel boring machine, which will dig the tunnel for the westbound track. Once complete, the Ontario Line will span 15.6 kilometres from Exhibition Place to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT at Don Mills Road, offering connectivity to 15 stations and more than 40 transit connections to nearly 230,000 people who are within walking distance of the service.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we’re getting the Ontario Line done to tackle gridlock and increase access to fast, reliable and affordable transit for millions of people across the GTA,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “This major milestone moves us another step closer to delivering world-class transit for people across the GTA while supporting thousands of good-paying jobs.”
Exhibition Station is also under construction, with crews working away at building platforms and station entrances on both sides of the track where riders can be connected to GO Transit and improved service to the growing Liberty Village neighbourhood. During rush hour, more than 12,000 people are expected to use the station, including more than 6,000 transferring between GO Transit and the Ontario Line.
“The Ontario Line will help to transform the GTA, making it faster and easier for residents to reach home, school or work,” said Gregor Robertson, federal Minister of Housing and Infrastructure. “By working together, we are building the first new subway line in Toronto in decades, and we are thrilled to see progress continue.”
