The Ontario government has officially begun tunneling the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, a significant milestone for the seven-stop extension that will provide reliable, modern rapid transit to neighborhoods in Etobicoke and Mississauga.
“Our administration is completing the largest subway expansion in Canadian history,” Premier Doug Ford remarked. “We are breaking ground on this historic development and constructing world-class transit that will make life easier for the people of the GTA while enabling the creation of thousands of jobs and fostering economic growth for years to come.”
Two tunnel boring machines at the Renforth launch shaft will dig the over six-kilometer twin tunnels underground along Eglinton Avenue West, forming the underground section of the extension between Renforth Drive and Scarlett Road. The machines will operate at a depth of around 20 meters and move at a rate of 10 to 15 meters per day.
“The start of tunneling marks an important milestone for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension project, which will provide more Canadians with an efficient and affordable way to get to work, school, and access essential services,” said the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Federal Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure, and Communities. “Our government is collaborating with the Ontario government, the City of Toronto, and the City of Mississauga to create employment, expand the economy, and promote inclusive communities.”
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Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will alleviate traffic congestion and expand job and housing possibilities
The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will add 9.2 kilometers to the eventual Eglinton Crosstown LRT service, resulting in a continuous rapid transit line along Eglinton Avenue from Scarborough to Mississauga and Etobicoke. The development will sustain up to 4,600 construction jobs per year and attract 37,000 daily boardings by 2041.
“By adding more kilometers of new subway service to extend the current Eglinton Crosstown LRT, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will make a great difference for the residents of Etobicoke and Mississauga who rely on transit to get to and from work and other vital destinations,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation.
Under Premier Ford’s leadership, our government is improving public transportation, alleviating traffic congestion, and expanding job and housing possibilities.” We are working at an unprecedented rate to make progress on each of our priority subway developments, and the commencement of tunneling on this project is a vital indicator that we are on track.”
The province of Ontario has committed nearly $17 billion for development as part of its bold transportation plan for the Greater Toronto Area. The Government of Canada revealed over $10 billion in funding for Ontario’s 4 major subway projects in the Greater Toronto Area last May – the region’s largest joint transit investment in history – which involves the all-new Ontario Line, the three-stop Scarborough Subway Extension, the Yonge North Subway Extension, and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
Project overview
Eglinton Crosstown West Extension (ECWE) in Ontario is a proposed extension of line 5 or rather the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) – a 19 kilometer, 25 stop rapid transit line between Kennedy in the east and Mount Dennis in the west – from Mount Dennis LRT station to Renforth Station, a distance of approximately 9.2 kilometers.
Also Read: The Ontario Line in Toronto Canada project timeline.
The new extension will be mainly grade-separated with seven new stations, including two elevated stations at Jane and Scarlett, four underground stations at Royal York, Islington, Kipling, and Martin Grove, and a terminus at Renforth Station.
It will offer convenient links to other destinations throughout the region including the UP Express and Kitchener Line GO Train service at Mount Dennis, TTC bus services at all transit stops in Toronto, and MiWay and GO Bus services via the Mississauga Transitway at Renforth Drive.
Upon completion, by 2030-31, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension (ECWE) in Ontario, which will operate mainly underground, will bring the Crosstown LRT further west, consequently creating a continuous LRT line along Eglinton Avenue, from the east end of Toronto into Mississauga, and providing significant relief to busy commutes by expanding transit capacity and cutting travel times.
Plans are also being explored with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority to extend the line another 4.7 kilometers to Pearson International Airport.
Reported earlier
August 2020
Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario issued the Request for Proposals (RFP) for advanced tunneling, inviting three shortlisted teams to begin preparing submissions for how they will deliver the project if selected. Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx expect to award tunneling contracts in mid-2021.
May 2021
Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario awarded the advance tunnel contract to West End Connectors to design, build and finance the tunnels for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
This same month, the Government of Canada announced its commitment to fund up to 40% of eligible costs for Ontario’s four priority subway projects in the GTA, i.e. our very own Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, the Ontario Line, the three-stop Scarborough Subway Extension, and the Yonge North Subway Extension.
July 2021
The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension (ECWE) in Ontario project was launched.
October 2021
Fences were installed around the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension site, drill rigs had arrived and construction crews were busy building the entry points, or launch shafts, for the tunnel boring machines (TBM)s’ that will dig the two tunnels needed for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension. The machines are expected to arrive at the site in 2022.
December 2021
Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario started the search for a team that will design, build, and finance the tunnels that will run between Toronto’s Jane Street and the future Mount Dennis Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
