The Ontario government, in partnership with the Government of Canada, shared updated plans for the Yonge North Subway Extension, one of the province’s four priority subway projects that will bring better rapid transit to the Greater Toronto Area. The province is moving ahead with a fourth station at Clark Avenue and pursuing further adjustments to the route that will maximize benefits for residents and minimize community impacts.
“Our government hasn’t stopped working to deliver a world-class transit system the people of Toronto and York Region deserve,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “The Yonge North Subway Extension will strengthen connectivity across the region, reduce travel times and greenhouse gas emissions, and provide more people with access to rapid transit. The new Clark Station is the clear choice to support all those key benefits. With this alignment we can deliver the greatest number of stations for the growing communities of York Region while staying within budget, capitalizing on benefits, and providing better regional connectivity, including to GO Rail, York Region Viva and other transit options.”
“Public transit is at the heart of a clean, inclusive recovery. As a part of the largest investment in public transit in the GTA’s history, the Government of Canada is investing up to $2.24 billion in the Yonge North Subway extension, helping to kickstart our economy and create thousands of jobs,” said Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. “It will help get cars off the road, and the residents of Canada’s largest community, especially essential workers, women, immigrants and youth, get around in faster, cleaner and cheaper ways.”
An updated stations analysis from Metrolinx shows that Clark Station will offer seamless transfers between the Yonge North Subway Extension and the planned branch of York Region Viva Orange bus rapid transit. Clark Station will serve 2,500 riders during the busiest travel times while providing access to rapid transit in key residential and employment growth areas like Promenade Centre and the Bathurst and Centre corridor.
In addition to Clark Station, the province will work collaboratively with York Region and the City of Toronto to explore the possibility of the funding of additional stations located at Royal Orchard Boulevard and Cummer Avenue.
“Together with our federal and municipal partners we are delivering a bold and transformative subway project to the people of York Region, which will generate economic benefits and drive regional investment for decades to come,” said Stan Cho, Associate Minister of Transportation. “We are making sure that our multibillion-dollar investments are delivering better, faster transit at the best value to Ontario taxpayers. And we will do just that by exploring the use of all available tools, like the Transit-Oriented Communities Program, to potentially deliver more stations for the people of York Region.”
“Clark Station is the right choice for York Region,” said Phil Verster, President and CEO of Metrolinx. “Clark Station will make it faster and easier to get around York Region by bringing the subway closer to thousands of people. The team at Metrolinx is very excited to continue to advance our planning and design work to deliver this important transit project.”
Metrolinx is also actively investigating refinements to the route of the extension to minimize impacts to the communities it will serve. Results of those investigations are expected later this year.
In May, the Government of Canada announced funding for Ontario’s four transit priority projects in the Greater Toronto Area – the largest transit expansion in the region’s history – for the Ontario Line, a three-stop Scarborough Subway Extension, the Yonge North Subway Extension and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension. The Federal government is funding up to $2.24 billion for the Yonge North Subway Extension, conditional on federal Treasury Board approval.
Quick Facts
- The Yonge North Subway Extension will bring TTC’s Line 1 to major employment centres in York Region such as Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill.
- The project’s three other stations include one station located at Steeles Avenue, and two surface-level stations located at Highway 7 and Highway 407 (Bridge Station) and High-Tech Road in Richmond Hill.
- With the addition of this fourth station, the Yonge North Subway Extension is expected to attract 27,300 peak hour daily riders, and an estimated 1,900 jobs within a 10-minute walk of Clark Station alone.
- In May 2020, Ontario signed a landmark Preliminary Agreement with York Region that will help significantly expand the subway network through the delivery of the Yonge North Subway Extension.
- In February 2020, Ontario signed the Ontario-Toronto Transit Partnership Preliminary Agreement with the City of Toronto to deliver on the unified plan to significantly expand and modernize the subway network across the Greater Toronto Area.
Quotes
“Our Government’s historic investment of $2.24 billion in the Yonge North Subway extension is great news for families, workers, and communities across York Region. This project will connect residents with new opportunities and one another, and will create jobs and contribute to a sustainable, inclusive recovery. With this project, we are delivering on our commitment to Canadians to deliver crucial infrastructure projects and make our communities more accessible through transit.”
– The Honourable Mary Ng
Federal Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, and Member of Parliament for Markham—Thornhill
“This extension is a huge milestone and a cause for celebration for all constituents in my riding of Richmond Hill and Markham, as well as, everyone in York Region. This will cut commute times by 22 minutes, reduce green house gas emissions and significantly cut down public fuel consumption, lastly, the extension will produce thousands of new jobs during and after construction. This extension is a huge win, helping us meet our environmental goals and supporting hard working Canadians and their families.”
– Majid Jowhari
Member of Parliament for Richmond Hill
“Transit expansion depends on strong partnerships between the federal government, provinces and municipalities. Support from all orders of government is essential and we look forward to continuing to work together to get shovels in the ground as quickly as possible. This project will create good skilled union and middle class jobs and opportunities for workers and businesses which is good for the region, the province and for Canada.”
– Tony Van Bynen
Member of Parliament for Newmarket—Aurora
“The new Yonge North Subway Extension will transform public transit for commuters by making it easier and faster for those who live and work in York Region to get to where they need to be each day,” said Christine Elliott, MPP for Newmarket-Aurora. “Our government is putting time back where it should be – with families, friends and local businesses. As our province begins to safely open and recover, this project will play a critical role in supporting our community and growing our local economy.”
– Christine Elliott
Deputy Premier of Ontario and Minister of Health, and Member of Provincial Parliament for Newmarket—Aurora
“I’m pleased that the federal government has endorsed Premier Ford’s bold transit vision for the GTA in the form of up to 40 per cent funding for Ontario’s four priority subway projects. Our government has never wavered from our commitment to getting these projects built, and the new addition of Clark Station to the Yonge North Subway Extension is a big step forward of many more to come. I am grateful for Ontario’s leadership on public transit, which will address the transit deficit this region has faced for decades. ”
– Michael Parsa
Member of Provincial Parliament for Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill
“Residents across York Region have been asking for better access to rapid transit, and our government is delivering. The Yonge North Subway Extension will ensure that thousands of York Region residents are able to travel quickly, conveniently, and confidently. Clark Station will serve as a key transfer point in our community, maximizing opportunities and benefits for our residents and promoting economic growth in our community.”
– Daisy Wai
Member of Provincial Parliament for Richmond Hill
“The new addition of Clark Station to the Yonge North Subway Extension will be critical to increasing accessibility around the GTA. The ability to transfer between the Yonge North Subway Extension and York Region Viva Orange bus rapid transit will make it easier for residents of York Region to access the rest of the city. This extension will bring economic growth, community unification and connectivity, all needed in the Markham-Thornhill area.”
– Logan Kanapathi
Member of Provincial Parliament for Markham—Thornhill
“The Regional Municipality of York is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Ontario, with the population anticipated to grow to over 2 million people by 2041. Expanding the number of stations on the Yonge North Subway Extension will help accommodate the future growth of our communities while also increasing options for those who travel throughout our communities. As the top transit priority of York Regional Council, we thank our partners at all levels of government and Metrolinx for their sustained commitment to providing this vital link in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area transit network. Moving forward with a fourth station at Clark Avenue will better serve all travellers across our Region.”
– Wayne Emmerson
York Region Chairman and CEO
“As Chair of York Region Rapid Transit Corporation, I welcome today’s announcement of a subway station at Clark Avenue. This station is a critical piece of the Yonge North Subway Extension connecting vibrant residential communities as well access to major employment zones in Markham and Vaughan. Clark Subway Station will improve access and reliability to transit options and integrate well with existing York Region and broader GTA transit services. I remain committed to working with the Province of Ontario and Metrolinx on further improvements to the planned subway extension.”
– His Worship Frank Scarpitti
Mayor of the City of Markham
SOURCE: Province of Ontario
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