Eglinton Crosstown West Extension Achieves Landmark Milestone in Ontario

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

The completion of tunnelling for the western underground segment of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension by the Ontario government signifies a major achievement in establishing a dependable, seamless rapid transit link connecting Toronto’s east end with Etobicoke and Mississauga.

“As the Greater Toronto Area continues to grow, families deserve to have access to fast and reliable transit options that connect them to good jobs, housing and other necessities,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “Today’s milestone brings us another step closer to saving commuters time, increasing quality of life for residents and growing the economy for everyone.”

The Extension along Eglinton Avenue West, spanning from Renforth Drive to Scarlett Road, features two 6.3-kilometre tunnels. These tunnels mark the underground segment of the future line, transitioning to an elevated guideway at Scarlett Road. Throughout the tunnelling phase, two tunnel boring machines removed 1.2 million tonnes of soil and rock. Additionally, over 7,400 concrete tunnel liner rings were installed to reinforce the tunnel walls, completing 93% of the underground portion of the line.

“Part of the largest public transit investment in the history of the Greater Toronto Area, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will help to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions, while supporting thousands of good jobs,” said Yvan Baker, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke Centre on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. “Building strong, inclusive and affordable communities relies on a strong foundation of public infrastructure like LRTs and public transit routes that keep our cities moving. The completion of tunnelling on the western segment of this line extension is an exciting step towards a more seamless rapid transit experience for thousands of daily riders.”

During the upcoming project phase, activities will advance at the extraction shaft located at Scarlett Road. This involves constructing the infrastructure for train emergence from tunnels, while preparations commence for tunneling the eastern underground section of the line, extending from east of Jane Street to Mount Dennis Station.

“Our strong partnership with the province is helping build more transit, more quickly, for the people of Toronto,” said Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto. “The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will help more communities conveniently access rapid transit. Together, we can relieve congestion and give people more options to get to work, school or run errands.”

Key Points:

• The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will create up to 4,600 high-paying jobs during construction.
• It will expand transit access for 37,500 more residents and aim for 70,000 daily boardings by 2041.
• Canada pledged over $10 billion for Ontario’s major transit projects in the Greater Toronto Area, with nearly $2 billion earmarked for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
• Ontario and Toronto formalized their partnership in February 2020 through the Ontario-Toronto Transit Partnership Preliminary Agreement to accelerate transit initiatives, including the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
• Ontario’s ambitious $70 billion investment over the next decade includes landmark expansions like the Ontario Line, Scarborough Subway Extension, Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, and Yonge North Subway Extension.

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