ONTARIO-The Ontario government says it has officially started tunnelling the Ontario Line. With construction underway across the full length of the line, supporting 4,700 jobs annually, the Ontario Line will put nearly 230,000 people within walking distance of modern rapid transit while connecting more people to jobs, relieving gridlock and cutting travel times across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) according to the province.
“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 digging twin tunnels from Exhibition Station toward the Don Yard near the Don Valley Parkway and Lakeshore Boulevard, as deep as 40 metres below the surface. At the Don Yard, Ontario Line trains will emerge from the tunnels and continue east above ground across the Lower Don Bridge. Once complete, the 15.6-kilometre Ontario Line will run from Exhibition Place to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT at Don Mills Road, with 15 stations and more than 40 transit connections.
“Today marks a major step forward as we begin tunnelling the Ontario Line through the heart of downtown Toronto. This project is part of a historic investment in public transit to fight gridlock, cut commute times and keep people moving across our city. As Mayor, I am committed to keeping the TTC affordable by freezing fares for three years while increasing service and improving reliability. We are introducing fare capping this year so Torontonians can ride more and pay less and advancing the design of the Scarborough East Rapid Transit Line, formerly the Eglinton East LRT. The city and province will continue working together to deliver affordable and safe transit that keeps Toronto moving.” said Olivia Chow
Mayor, Toronto
Major construction is also underway at Exhibition Station, where crews are building platforms and station entrances on both sides of the track. Exhibition Station will connect riders to GO Transit and bring subway service to the fast-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 province says major progress is also being made at several downtown stations, with excavation complete at King West, Moss Park and Distillery District, and nearing completion at Chinatown.
“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.”
