TORONTO — The Ontario government has announced that tunneling is complete on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, a 9.2-kilometre project that will extend Line 5 farther into Mississauga and create a continuous rapid-transit corridor of nearly 30 kilometres along Eglinton Avenue.At a press conference Tuesday morning, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said crews have finished excavating the twin 500-metre tunnels from Mount Dennis Station to Jane Street for the eastern underground segment. Tunneling on the longer western underground portion, running 6.3 kilometres from Scarlett Road to Renforth Drive, was completed in June 2024. In total, nearly seven kilometres of tunnels have been built.Once finished, the extension will add seven stations and is expected to serve about 70,000 daily riders. Officials say it will cut travel time between Yonge-Eglinton and Square One by up to 24 minutes and, when combined with the existing Line 5, eliminate an estimated 6.5 million car trips each year. The project is projected to support more than 4,600 jobs annually during construction.“We’re 'investing' nearly $70 billion in public transit, and that includes the largest subway expansion in Canadian history,” Sarkaria said. The original Line 5 Crosstown, which opened earlier this year, already carries more than 100,000 riders daily..Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay called the tunneling completion a clear sign of progress.Lindsay acknowledged internal Metrolinx reports documenting dozens of safety incidents on the Ontario Line between 2024 and early 2025, including utility strikes and a near-miss with a falling rebar cage. He said the agency reviews every incident and described its safety practices as rigorous.On the Ontario Line budget, Lindsay confirmed it is “under pressure.” After a recent $4.3-billion contract for the Pape tunnel section, the project is tracking significantly above its earlier public baseline of $29.7 billion, with one major elevated guideway and stations package still to be finalized.Officials also provided an update on the Hazel McCallion LRT, saying civil infrastructure is largely on track for completion around this time next year, with vehicle testing now underway..Ontario completes tunnel shaft for Yonge North subway extension.Asked about a government review of Metrolinx focused on efficiency, Lindsay said the agency has already eliminated about 1,200 consultant positions, saving roughly $100 million a year, and has frozen non-essential hiring while protecting front-line roles.Sarkaria reiterated that any modernization of Billy Bishop Airport would be privately financed.The Crosstown West Extension is one of several major GTA transit projects jointly funded by the province and Ottawa. While officials presented the tunneling milestone as evidence of progress, the accompanying questions highlighted ongoing concerns about costs, safety and timelines across Ontario’s larger transit program.You can watch the full press conference below:
