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Ontario Marks Opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT

February 6, 2026
Eglinton Crosstown LRT train stopped at a station along Eglinton Avenue, with city buildings in the background. On‑image text reads “Eglinton Crosstown LRT opens in Toronto!” and the Protect Ontario logo appears in the corner.

Province providing funding for LRT operating service, including free service on opening day

Office of the Premier

Table of Contents

  1. Content
  2. Quick Facts
  3. Quotes
  4. Additional Resources

Content

TORONTO — The Ontario government is marking the official opening of the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) in Toronto, a major milestone in the province’s plan to protect Ontario by building transit, relieving gridlock and cutting travel times. The new transit line will begin operating under the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) on February 8, 2026, moving more than 123,000 riders each weekday and reducing travel times from Kennedy Station to Mount Dennis Station by nearly one hour. To mark the official launch of the line, service will be free for riders on opening day.

“Completion of the Eglinton Crosstown is a major milestone for commuters in the GTA, connecting hundreds of thousands of people from east to west to fast, affordable and reliable public transit,” said Premier Ford. “Our government has the largest plan to build in Canadian history. We will continue to invest in new roads, highways and transit, to support workers and families in every corner of our province.”

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT, also known as Line 5 Eglinton, includes 25 stations and stops along a 19-kilometre light rail line. It runs along Eglinton Avenue between Kennedy Station and Mount Dennis (Weston Road), with more than 10 kilometres underground. The LRT will link to 68 routes, three TTC subway stations and two GO lines. Riders can use the province’s One Fare program to transfer between the Eglinton Crosstown, GO Transit and participating transit agencies on a single fare, making transit more convenient and affordable for residents across the city.

“Our government is protecting Ontario by making historic investments in public transit to fight gridlock and connect more people to housing and jobs,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “The Eglinton Crosstown LRT will cut travel times across the city by 60 per cent, helping riders get where they need to go quickly and safely and fuelling our economy for years to come.”

The province is also making major progress on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, which is currently under construction and will extend Line 5 Eglinton by nine kilometres west from Mount Dennis to Renforth Drive, further improving regional connectivity.

“The Eglinton LRT will connect people and communities across the city, helping thousands commute each day and reducing congestion on our roads,” said Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto. “The opening will be phased and service levels will increase over time, alongside greater signal priority for the LRT. As Mayor, I am committed to keeping the TTC affordable by freezing fares for three years running while increasing service levels, and by introducing fare capping this year. The city and province will continue working together to deliver affordable and convenient public transit that gets Toronto moving.”

As part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario, the province is investing $70 billion in the largest expansion of public transit in North America to shorten travel times, reduce gridlock and drive economic growth across the region.

Quick Facts

  • Following a successful Revenue Service Demonstration, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT officially achieved substantial completion on December 5, 2025, and transferred full operational control of the line to the TTC.
  • To ensure a smooth launch, service levels on the line will gradually increase over the first six months, reflecting the standard approach for bringing major LRT projects into service worldwide.
  • Opening day: 6:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., with trains every 4 minutes and 45 seconds during peak periods.
  • After six months: 5:30 a.m. – 2:30 a.m., with trains every three minutes and 30 seconds during peak periods.
  • Riders can use the province’s One Fare program to transfer between the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, GO Transit and participating transit agencies on a single fare.
  • Ontario is investing nearly $70 billion in the largest transit expansion in North America, including the largest subway expansion in Canadian history by building the Ontario Line subway, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and the Yonge North Subway Extension.

Quotes

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT will be transformative for families, workers and students — offering a reliable and faster way to travel across Toronto. It will connect people to housing, jobs and opportunities, while also reducing gridlock. Thanks to Premier Ford’s leadership, our government is investing a landmark $70 billion in transit infrastructure, as part of our more than $220 billion capital plan to support growing communities, keep workers on the job and protect Ontario.

– Todd McCarthy

Acting Minister of Infrastructure

The opening of the Eglinton Crosstown marks a major milestone for the people of Eglinton—Lawrence and communities across Toronto. This project will make it faster and easier for residents to get to work, school and local businesses, while easing congestion and strengthening connections across the city. Under the leadership of Premier Doug Ford, our government is delivering critical transit infrastructure that keeps Toronto moving and supports long-term growth.

– Michelle Cooper

MPP, Eglinton—Lawrence

By transforming Kennedy Station into a vital mobility hub, we are connecting our community to the rest of the GTA with the speed and reliability it deserves. But we aren’t stopping there. Under Premier Ford’s leadership, we are delivering the historic three-stop Scarborough Subway Extension all the way to McCowan and Sheppard, ensuring our students, workers and families have a world-class ride right in their own backyard.

– David Smith

MPP, Scarborough Centre

The opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is an important moment for York South—Weston. For residents who rely on transit every day to get to work, school and appointments, this new line means faster, more reliable service and better connections across the city. With 25 stations along a 19-kilometre route, the Crosstown will cut travel times between Kennedy and Mount Dennis by nearly an hour and bring rapid transit within walking distance for tens of thousands of people. I encourage everyone to take advantage of free service on opening day and experience how this investment is helping build a more connected and accessible Toronto.

– Mohamed Firin

MPP, York South—Weston

We appreciate the patience of commuters, businesses and the broader community who have been waiting for too long for this day. The opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is a significant milestone for Toronto and will connect communities across midtown with fast, frequent and reliable transit. The 25 stops across the line will connect customers from Etobicoke to Scarborough to the broader transit network.

– Michael Lindsay

President and CEO, Metrolinx

The opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT represents an important, but long-awaited, milestone for transit in Toronto. This has been one of the most complex projects in the city’s transit history, requiring significant efforts to deliver, and we thank the residents, businesses and commuters who remained patient through this long process. We are excited about the connectivity that this new line will bring to our communities across Toronto and the wider region.

– Angela Clayton

President and CEO, Infrastructure Ontario

Alstom is Canada’s national champion for urban rail mobility solutions and is proud to be a part of Toronto’s transformational Eglinton Crosstown. We thank Metrolinx and the TTC for their trust and long-term partnership. Alstom’s nearly 3,000 employees in Ontario are equally proud to contribute to the development of Toronto’s booming public transit system with best-in-class mobility technology, made by Canadians, for Canadians.

– Michael Keroullé

President, Alstom Americas

The public opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is a monumental milestone for Aecon and the Crosslinx team — connecting growing communities with modernized transit from east to west across Toronto. Delivering a transformative project of this scale required steadfast commitment, grit and tenacity from our world-class project team. We are extremely proud to join our client, project partners, the provincial and municipal governments and residents in celebrating this public opening as we play a critical role in the 30-year maintenance term.

– Jean-Louis Servranckx

President and CEO, Aecon Group Inc.

TRACCS Transit and Rail and its members are proud to open this transformational project for the city of Toronto. Many of our members have supported this complex project and look forward to seeing the benefits it provides to the communities and businesses that have been awaiting this opening. We commend the ongoing support of the government of Ontario’s investment in our communities, businesses and industry to continue to deliver these projects, reducing congestion and improving the lives of Ontarians.

– Mark Salsberg

Chairperson, TRACCS Transit and Rail

After years of construction and dedication from countless teams, the opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT marks a milestone where vision has become reality. We are eager to welcome passengers aboard and ensure this critical infrastructure provides safe, reliable transit connections across one of Toronto’s busiest corridors. Our team is proud to have prepared this system for revenue service and looks forward to serving the thousands of residents and commuters who will depend on it daily.

– Antonio Mallol Torralbo

General Manager, CTS-Maintenance, ACS Infrastructure

The opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is a significant milestone for the city of Toronto and for the thousands of people who travel through this corridor every day. Located at the heart of midtown Toronto, this line will provide faster, more reliable connections to jobs, schools and local businesses, while strengthening the city’s transit network as a whole. Today reflects years of work by dedicated teams and partners, and marks an important step forward in delivering modern, high-quality transit that supports Toronto’s continued growth.

– Steve DeWitt

CEO, ACS Infrastructure

Additional Resources