Eglinton Crosstown West Extension takes next steps

The largest subway expansion plan in Canadian history, the future Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, reached another milestone moment this week as the Ontario government 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.

“Since breaking ground on this priority project in July, we’ve made remarkable progress ,” 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.”

The province also announced plans to 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 kilometres, 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 its commitment to fund up to 40 per cent 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.