TORONTO — The Ontario government is awarding a contract to construct the elevated portion of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, marking a major milestone in the province’s plan to deliver faster and better transit that connects communities from Toronto to Mississauga.
“As part of the largest expansion of public transit in Canadian history, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will bring more people in Toronto and Mississauga closer to rapid transit,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “This is another step forward in our government’s plan to build critical transportation infrastructure that makes life easier and more affordable for people, while spurring economic growth for decades to come.”
Today, we reached another important milestone to build the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension! 🚇
This critical project is part of our plan to cut commute times and bring more people in Toronto and Mississauga closer to reliable rapid transit.
Learn more:… pic.twitter.com/DlUaPyyQYU
— Prabmeet Sarkaria (@PrabSarkaria) December 15, 2023
The province has officially awarded the contract to design and build the elevated guideway for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension to Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc. The guideway will be about 1.5 kilometres in length, running along the north side of Eglinton Avenue West from just west of Scarlett Road to east of Jane Street, where the line will head underground again and connect with the future Mount Dennis Station.
“Public transit is vital to the growth of cities and communities across Canada,” said the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. “The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will support good jobs and reduce greenhouse emissions, while helping people get around more easily in the GTA. Through permanent funding for public transit, we will continue to support provinces, territories, municipalities, transit agencies, and Indigenous communities as they build stronger and more connected communities.”
Elevating the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension over the Humber River will maximize travel time savings for commuters, while minimizing impacts to surrounding communities. Once complete, the extension will support as many as 4,600 jobs annually during construction and attract 69,700 daily boardings by 2041.
Ontario is investing $70.5 billion over the next decade to transform public transit in the province, which includes the largest subway expansion in Canadian history – the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, and the Yonge North Subway Extension.
Quick Facts
- Access to local parks will be maintained throughout construction.
- Upon completion, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will bring the Eglinton Crosstown LRT another 9.2 kilometres farther west, creating a continuous rapid transit line from the east end of Toronto through the heart of the city and into Mississauga.
- In 2021, the Government of Canada announced its commitment to fund over $10 billion toward the eligible costs for Ontario’s priority transit projects in the Greater Toronto Area, including more than $1.87 billion for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension. Federal funding for the Yonge North Subway Extension is conditional on federal Treasury Board approval.
- In February 2020, Ontario and the City of Toronto announced the signing of the Ontario-Toronto Transit Partnership Preliminary Agreement, formalizing their partnership to deliver on the province’s plan to build priority transit projects faster, including the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
Quotes
“We are making progress and getting shovels in the ground to build critical infrastructure for the people of Ontario. The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension is just one part of our government’s historic $185-billion plan to build Ontario. This subway expansion will provide much-needed relief for commuters in Etobicoke and Mississauga with quick connections to downtown Toronto. By investing in transportation infrastructure and helping people get to where they need to go, our government is investing in our economic future, our health and safety, and our quality of life today and for generations to come.”
– Kinga Surma
Minister of Infrastructure and MPP for Etobicoke Centre
“Our government is moving full steam ahead on our commitment to a better, modern and sustainable public transit network. The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will bring over 9 kilometres of rapid transit to new neighbourhoods, reducing gridlock and making it easier for people to get to where they need to go.”
– MPP Deepak Anand
MPP for Mississauga-Malton
“We are thrilled to reach another important milestone for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension. When combined with the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, this line will bring riders from Mississauga through midtown Toronto and all the way to Scarborough, making it easier for thousands of people to choose transit first and taking an estimated 6.5 million car trips off the road each year.”
– Phil Verster
President and CEO of Metrolinx
SOURCE Province of Ontario
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