Ontario begins tunnelling for new Eglinton Crosstown West Extension connecting Toronto and Mississauga
TORONTO, April 11, 2022 — The Ontario government has officially started tunnelling the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, marking a key historic milestone for the seven-stop extension that will bring reliable, modern rapid transit to communities in Etobicoke and Mississauga.
“Our government is getting it done and delivering the largest subway expansion in Canadian history,” said Premier Doug Ford. “We are getting shovels in the ground for this historic project and building world-class transit that will make life easier for the people of the GTA, while supporting the creation of thousands of jobs and spurring economic growth for decades to come.”
Two tunnel boring machines at the Renforth launch shaft site (the most eastern terminus of the 18 kilometre Mississauga Transitway) will dig the over six-kilometre twin tunnels underground along Eglinton Avenue West, forming the underground section for the extension between Renforth Drive and Scarlett Road. The machines will operate approximately 20 metres deep and move about 10 to 15 metres a day.
“The importance of this project for the people of Mississauga and the GTA cannot be understated. This is one of the many investments our Government has made in public transit to connect residents across the GTA, and will transform the way people in our community get around.”
– The Honourable Omar Alghabra
Minister of Transport
“The start of tunnelling marks an important milestone for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension project, which will provide more Canadians with an efficient and affordable way to get to work, school, and access essential services,” said the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Federal Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “The Government of Canada is proud to work closely with the Province of Ontario to make transformational investments in the Toronto transit system that create jobs, grow the economy, and build inclusive communities.”
The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will extend the future Eglinton Crosstown LRT service another 9.2 kilometres, creating a continuous rapid transit line along Eglinton Avenue from Scarborough into Mississauga and Etobicoke. The extension will support as many as 4,600 jobs annually during construction and attract 37,000 daily boardings by 2041.
“By building more kilometres of new subway service to extend the existing Eglinton Crosstown LRT, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will make a significant difference for the people of Etobicoke and Mississauga that depend on transit to get to and from work and other key destinations,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “Under Premier Ford’s leadership, our government is building better public transit, relieving gridlock on our roads and unlocking job and housing opportunities. We are working at an unprecedented pace to make progress on each of our priority subway projects and the start of tunneling on this project is a key indicator that we’re getting the job done.”
Ontario’s bold transit plan for the Greater Toronto Area includes a commitment of nearly $17 billion from the province for construction. Last May, the Government of Canada announced over $10 billion in funding for Ontario’s four priority subway projects in the Greater Toronto Area – the largest joint investment in transit in the region’s history – which includes the all-new Ontario Line, the three-stop Scarborough Subway Extension, the Yonge North Subway Extension and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
Quick Facts About the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension
- The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will run underground from Renforth Drive to Scarlett Road, where it will then run on an elevated guideway to Jane Street before heading underground again to connect with Mount Dennis Station.
- In February 2020, Ontario and the City of Toronto announced the signing of the Ontario-Toronto Transit Partnership Preliminary Agreement, confirming their partnership to deliver on the government’s plan to build the four priority subway projects faster, including the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
- In July 2021, West End Connectors broke ground at the Renforth launch shaft site for the arrival of the tunnel boring machines in December.
- Each tunnel boring machine is 6.7 metres in diameter and can tunnel 75 metres per week and remove 500 cubic metres of earth each day.
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