Major subway extension between Toronto and multiple GTA cities moves forward

The Ontario government says a project that will connect Toronto’s subway system with three suburban municipalities is moving forward. 

Today, the province announced that it awarded a contract to North End Connectors to design and build the twin tunnels for the Yonge North Subway Extension, which will extend the subway system into the York Region.

Once complete, the extension will bring the TTC’s Yonge-University Line (Line 1) north from Finch Station to Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill.

“Today, we’re taking a major step forward as we build the Yonge North Subway Extension, revolutionizing travel across the region and extending subway access to Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill for the first time,” said Transport Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria in a statement.

“In the face of economic uncertainty and U.S. tariffs that continue to target workers and businesses across the province, we are protecting Ontario’s economy by building the next generation of subway service that will connect Ontarians to thousands of good-paying jobs and housing for years to come.”

Running from Finch Station to Richmond Hill Centre, the extension will span approximately eight kilometres and boast five stations, including a proposed transit hub at Highway 7 and Highway 407 (‘Bridge Station’) that could, in the future, connect to up to five future and existing regional transit lines, as well as local bus services. The province’s website said the extension will include an approximately 6.3-kilometre tunnelled segment as well as an above-ground segment that will run along the existing rail corridor in the northern section of the route. Once complete, the it will connect with local and GO transit services. 

According to the province, the Steeles Station transit hub will connect with local bus routes that serve Toronto and York Region, as well as a future TTC rapid transit line proposed to connect communities along Steeles Avenue.

“The Yonge North Subway Extension is a critical part of our $70 billion investment to build public transit in communities across Ontario,” Premier Doug Ford said in a statement. 

“As we get shovels in the ground on this critical project, we’re helping keep thousands of workers on the job and we’re building the infrastructure that will boost Ontario’s economy and help thousands of York Region commuters get where they need to go faster and more conveniently.”

The Ontario government said the newly awarded contract also includes early works construction of support headwalls for future stations and emergency exit buildings. 

Once complete, the Yonge North Subway Extension will accommodate over 90,000 daily trips.

Following completion of the design, tunnelling will begin along with a separate procurement to build the extension’s stations, rail and systems. 

The province said the extension will put 26,000 more people within a 10-minute walk of transit and will reduce daily travel times by up to 22 minutes on a trip from Markham to downtown Toronto. 

The project is part of the province’s $70-billion transit plan for the GTA, which includes several ongoing projects such as the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension. 

In a news release, the province said the Yonge North Subway Extension will cut the distance travelled by personal vehicles by 7,700 kilometres during rush hour and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 4,800 tonnes each year. It also said the extension will create roughly 4,300 construction jobs and generate “over $3.6 billion worth of total economic benefits.”

The federal government is also contributing $2.2 billion in funding to the project.  

“The Yonge North Subway Extension is getting Toronto moving by making it easier for people from across the GTA to get downtown and improving access for Torontonians visiting York Region,” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said in a statement.  

“By getting more drivers off the road and on to the subway, we will reduce congestion and help people move through the city. We are building a public transit network befitting our world-class city.”