Extension expanding fast, affordable transit, creating 4,300 jobs annually during construction
YORK REGION — The Ontario government has officially completed excavation of the tunnel launch shaft for the Yonge North Subway Extension, marking a major milestone in the province’s plan to relieve gridlock across the Greater Toronto Area by expanding access to fast, affordable and reliable public transit. The project will extend the TTC’s Line 1 subway nearly eight kilometres north from Finch Station to Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill, moving more than 94,000 riders each day and putting nearly 23,000 jobs within walking distance of transit.
“Our government is making historic investments in public transit to protect Ontario’s economy and keep people moving in the face of tariffs and economic uncertainty,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “The Yonge North Subway Extension will bring subway service to Markham and Richmond Hill for the first time ever, relieving gridlock and connecting thousands of people to housing and good-paying jobs.”
Crews have dug almost 70,000 cubic metres of soil to prepare the tunnel launch shaft site, where two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will begin digging the extension’s twin 6.3-kilometre tunnels. The launch shaft extends 10 metres below ground, requiring 11,000 cubic metres of concrete and 860 tonnes of steel reinforcement to construct.
“Reliable, modern public transit is key to building connected and resilient communities,” said the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada. “We are partnering with provinces and territories to build the local infrastructure that our communities need. The Yonge North Subway Extension is exactly the sort of project that will help grow Toronto strong and shape the future of how we move and explore our community.”
The province recently issued a request for proposals to qualified teams for design and construction of the extension’s stations, tracks and support systems. Ahead of future tunnelling and station construction, crews are relocating utilities to make room for new infrastructure.
The Yonge North Subway Extension will add five new stations to the subway network – Steeles, Clark, Royal Orchard, Bridge and High Tech. Construction of the extension supports 4,300 jobs per year, stimulating the local economy and generating over $3.6 billion in economic benefits.
Ontario is investing $70 billion in the largest transit expansion in North America, 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.
Quick Facts
- The Yonge North Subway Extension will cut the distance travelled by personal vehicles by 7,700 kilometres during rush hour and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 4,800 tonnes each year.
- Bridge Station, a newly proposed transit hub on the northern segment of the line, will connect to GO train and bus lines, as well as regional and local bus services.
- In September 2024, Ontario and York Region signed an Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) to advance the Yonge North Subway Extension, building on the 2020 Preliminary Agreement and establishing the framework for project delivery, funding and operations.
- The Government of Canada is contributing $2.24 billion in funding for the Yonge North Subway Extension.