Province Breaks Ground to Tunnel Ontario Line
For the first time in 60 years, our government is preparing to dig subway tunnels in downtown Toronto to tackle gridlock and get people where they need to go faster.
The 16-metre-deep launch shaft will be the starting point for two tunnel boring machines that will dig six kilometres east, from Exhibition Station to the Don Yard, west of the Don River.
Once tunnelling is complete, the launch shaft will be repurposed as a tunnel portal where Ontario Line trains will transition from above to below ground.
The Ontario Line is a historic project that will increase access to fast, reliable, and affordable transit for millions of people in the GTA.
A trip across the city from Exhibition Place to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT at Don Mills Road will take 30 minutes or less compared to the hour and 10 minutes it takes today.
The line will offer more than 40 connections to other subway, bus, streetcar, and regional train services.
This marks another milestone in our government’s plan to slash commute times across the Greater Toronto Area and bring nearly 230,000 more people within walking distance of public transit.