Ontario Takes Next Step in Building Eglinton Crosstown West Extension

The Ontario government is entering into the next stage of planning, design and procurement for the future Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, bringing better rapid transit to Etobicoke and Mississauga by delivering on the largest subway expansion plan in Canadian history.

The province on Dec. 2 released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the second advance tunnel contract for a section of underground works from Jane Street to the future Mount Dennis Station. This is part of the government’s plan to build Ontario by getting shovels in the ground on key infrastructure projects.

“Since breaking ground on this priority project in July, we’ve made remarkable progress on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “Ontario is more committed than ever to working with our partners to build subways faster. Together, we will make life easier for the people of Etobicoke and Mississauga, support the creation of thousands of jobs, and spur economic growth.”

The province will also release a pre-qualification for the transit project’s elevated section of tracks from Scarlett Road to Jane Street in the coming weeks. Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx will evaluate the submissions and announce a shortlist of qualified proponents for both contracts in spring of 2022.

“Today’s announcement marks an important milestone in the progress of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension,” said the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “As the project takes shape, it brings us closer to our goal of giving more residents across the Greater Toronto Area access to clean, modern and reliable public transit.”

Once complete, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will extend the Eglinton Crosstown LRT by 9.2 kilometers, from the future Mount Dennis Station to Renforth Drive, running mostly underground. This extension will connect riders to destinations across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) through connections to UP Express, GO Transit, TTC and MiWay. Ontario is also exploring a potential extension of the line to Pearson International Airport.

In May, the Government of Canada announced their commitment to fund up to 40 percent of eligible costs for Ontario’s four priority subway projects in the GTA, including the Ontario Line, the three-stop Scarborough Subway Extension, the Yonge North Subway Extension and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension. Federal funding for the Yonge North Subway Extension is conditional on federal Treasury Board approval.

Quick Facts

• The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension is estimated to put 50,000 more people within walking distance to transit and is expected to attract 37,000 daily boardings by 2041.
• In February 2020, Ontario and the City of Toronto announced the signing of the Ontario-Toronto Transit Partnership Preliminary Agreement, confirming their partnership to deliver on the government’s plan and build the four priority subway projects faster, including the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
• In July 2020, the Building Transit Faster Act became law, providing the province with the tools to expedite the planning, design and construction process of the four priority transit projects.
• To expedite work and ensure successful delivery of the project, the province awarded the first advance tunnel contract to West End Connectors in May and will continue to issue separate contracts for the balance of the work.
• In July 2021, West End Connectors broke ground at the Renforth launch shaft site, where the tunnel boring machines will be lowered into the ground to dig the underground section between Renforth Drive and Scarlett Road starting in spring 2022.