The long-awaited Scarborough Subway Extension has officially moved from plans to construction. On Friday, the Ontario government broke ground on Scarborough Centre Station, the first of three stations that will extend Line 2 further into Scarborough. The moment marks a major milestone in the province’s $70 billion plan to expand transit across the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
“This is a gamechanger for the people of Scarborough,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation. “In the face of President Trump’s tariff threats, this project will also support thousands of skilled trades workers and attract new jobs and investment here in Scarborough and around the province.”
What the Station Will Deliver
Scarborough Centre Station will be more than just a stop on the subway map. Designed to accommodate over 10,000 passengers and 7,000 transfers during peak hours, the hub will feature:
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A new bus terminal with passenger pickup and drop-off spaces.
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Seamless transfers between the subway, GO Transit buses, and local TTC routes.
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Walking-distance access for 38,000 residents, students, and workers.
Once complete, the full Scarborough Subway Extension will stretch 7.8 km from Kennedy Station to Sheppard Avenue and McCowan Road, serving an estimated 105,000 daily trips and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10,000 tonnes annually.
🚇 Shovels are in the ground on Scarborough Centre Station; the first of three new stations on the Scarborough Subway Extension!
🚊 Serve over 10,000 riders during rush hour
🚍 Facilitate over 7,000 daily transfers
🤝 Put 34,000 jobs within a 10 minute walkLearn more:… pic.twitter.com/E7Lo8o0uw2
— Prabmeet Sarkaria (@PrabSarkaria) September 5, 2025
Impact on Scarborough’s Growth
The station is strategically located near Centennial College’s Progress Campus and the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, where nearly 30,000 students and staff stand to benefit from faster, more reliable commutes.
It will also connect directly to new housing opportunities through the Lawrence East transit-oriented community, part of the province’s vision for building vibrant mixed-use communities along priority subway lines. Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma noted that the TOC will bring more than 700 new homes and over 300 jobs to Scarborough.
Mayor Olivia Chow welcomed the milestone, emphasizing the city’s commitment to improving transit:
“People in Scarborough deserve better access to transit to get to work, school or run errands. This new station will move tens of thousands of people each day, helping them connect to subway trains on the new Scarborough Subway Extension and buses that reach every corner of our city.”
Backed by All Levels of Government
The project has strong financial backing. Ontario is covering a third of the costs for 55 new Line 2 subway trains through Alstom Transport Canada Inc., ensuring Canadian manufacturing jobs. The federal government has pledged over $2.2 billion toward the extension, with MP Michael Coteau calling it an investment in “access to homes, jobs, schools and communities.”
Next Stop in Context
Scarborough Centre Station represents more than just a new stop — it’s a symbol of long-overdue transit equity for Toronto’s east end. For decades, residents have called for the extension of Line 2 beyond Kennedy. With construction now underway, Scarborough is positioned to become a true regional hub.
As part of Ontario’s largest transit expansion in history, the project aligns with GTA Weekly’s Next Stop editorial vision: showing how new infrastructure not only connects commuters, but also reshapes neighbourhoods, fuels housing growth, and strengthens the GTA’s economy.
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