Government of Ontario breaks ground on final tunnel segment of Eglinton Crosstown West Extension
The government of Ontario broke ground on the final tunnel segment of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension. Once complete, the nine-kilometer (5.6-mile) line will connect seven new stations to the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, making travel faster and more convenient while bringing more than 37,500 people within a 10-minute walk of transit.
“Premier [Doug] Ford and our government have a plan to tackle gridlock and shorten commutes for drivers and public transit users in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA),” said Ontario’s Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria. “As President Trump’s tariffs continue to threaten Ontario workers and our economy, it has never been more important to invest in transportation infrastructure. We will do whatever it takes to protect Ontario jobs and build for the future.”
The government of Ontario notes the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will create more than 4,500 jobs from engineers to construction workers, crane, and heavy equipment operators. Crews have now started excavating the twin 500-meter (0.31-mile) tunnels under Eglinton Avenue West, from Jane Street to the future Mount Dennis Station.
In June 2024, the province completed tunnelling on the western underground portion of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension from Renforth Drive to Scarlett Road, where the LRT will transition to a 1.5-kilometer (0.93-mile) elevated guideway, currently under construction. The government of Ontario notes the 500-meter twin tunnels will be built using the sequential excavation method, advancing one to two meters (3.3 to 6.6 feet) per day.
According to the government of Ontario, the new transit line will connect riders to regional transit services, including the UP Express, GO Transit, Toronto Transit Commission and MiWay, where they can benefit from the province’s One Fare program and transfer for free. Combined with the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, the extension will cut commute times between popular destinations like Yonge and Eglinton and Square One by up to 24 minutes per trip. The government of Ontario says the extension will add seven additional stations to the 25 already planned for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.
"Better public transit means Torontonians can get to work, school and appointments faster. The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will make life easier for residents of Etobicoke, York and Midtown Toronto – meaning thousands of people will enjoy faster commutes," said Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. "The city's strong partnership working together with the province is building more transit for the people of Toronto."
The government of Ontario is investing nearly C$70 billion (US$49.4 billion) over the next decade in public transit, including the largest subway expansion in Canadian history with the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and the Yonge North Subway Extension.
"Today’s milestone on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension highlights the incredible progress our government is making to build transit infrastructure, reduce gridlock and expand access to rapid transit across the GTA. By investing in the largest transit expansion in Canadian history, our government is protecting Ontario’s economic resiliency and building a robust transit system that will connect the suburbs to downtown Toronto, getting more people and goods to their destinations safely and on time,” said Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma.
"It’s exciting to see so much progress being made on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, which will extend Line 5 Eglinton by another 9.2 kilometers (5.72 miles), ultimately creating a rapid transit line that will run from Mississauga all the way to Scarborough, bringing thousands of people closer to transit,” said Metrolinx Interim President and CEO Michael Lindsay.
