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Province Breaks Ground on Ontario Line Elevated Guideway and Four New Stations

February 18, 2026
Construction crew wearing high‑visibility safety gear works beside a large green drilling machine at an Ontario Line construction site. Urban buildings and rail infrastructure are visible in the background. On‑image text reads “More progress on the Ontario Line,” with the Protect Ontario logo.

Project supporting 4,700 jobs annually during construction and bringing nearly 230,000 more people within walking distance of transit

Office of the Premier

Table of Contents

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

Content

TORONTO — The Ontario government has officially broken ground on the elevated guideway and four new stations for the Ontario Line subway, marking a major milestone in the province’s plan to protect Ontario by creating jobs, cutting commute times across the Greater Toronto Area and bringing nearly 230,000 more people within walking distance of public transit.

“Our government’s historic $70 billion investment in public transit across the province is helping protect workers in the face of tariffs and economic uncertainty and fight gridlock by getting transit users where they need to go faster,” said Premier Doug Ford. “The Ontario Line will be a game-changer for GTA residents, cutting travel times across Toronto and offering more than 40 convenient connections to other transit services across the region.”

Crews have begun work along the three-kilometre elevated guideway, a raised stretch of track that will connect Don Valley, Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park stations, where ground has also now been broken. This section will bring 30,500 people within walking distance of a subway stop and improve access to 14,800 jobs in the area.

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making historic investments in transit, including the largest subway expansion in Canadian history,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “The Ontario Line is at the centre of our government’s $70 billion plan to build and upgrade transit, helping to fight gridlock and keeping thousands of workers on the job in the face of tariffs and economic uncertainty.”

The province is also breaking ground at Cosburn Station, which will connect riders across the city to Toronto’s Pape Village neighbourhood for the first time and cut commute times for more than 10,000 people. Once complete, the 15.6-kilometre Ontario Line will have 15 stations, running from Exhibition Place through the downtown core and connecting to Line 5 Eglinton at Don Mills Road.

“The Ontario Line will connect people and communities across our city, helping hundreds of thousands of Torontonians get where they need to go faster and more reliably,” said Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto. “This new line will bring more people within walking distance of transit, reduce congestion on our roads, and make daily commutes shorter for families and workers. As Mayor, I am committed to keeping the TTC affordable by freezing fares for three years while increasing service and improving reliability. We are also introducing fare capping this year so Torontonians can ride more and pay less. The City and Province will continue working together to deliver affordable and convenient transit that keeps 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. This includes covering over 80 per cent of capital construction costs on Ontario Line.

“The Government of Canada is proud to partner with the Government of Ontario to build projects that will deliver efficient, sustainable and affordable public transit in Toronto,” said Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature and Member of Parliament for Toronto—Danforth, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure. “Advancing construction of the Ontario Line’s elevated guideway and four new stations means we are another step closer to enhancing connection and productivity in our nation’s largest city. Together, we will build a stronger and more resilient Canadian economy for everyone.”

Quick Facts

  • The elevated guideway will carry Ontario Line trains up to 14 metres above street level, starting at the west end of Overlea Boulevard in Thorncliffe Park and running north to Don Valley Station at Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue East.
  • In October 2024, the province broke ground on two new bridges over the Don Valley, laying the foundation for faster transit and cutting travel times by more than half for families and workers along the route.
  • In July 2024, the province broke ground on the Ontario Line’s Pape Station. To date, crews have excavated 20 per cent of the site, roughly 24,000 cubic metres of soil.
  • Pape Station will serve tens of thousands of commuters every day. The Ontario Line is expected to reduce rush hour crowding at the TTC’s Bloor-Yonge Station by up to 22 per cent, about 14,000 fewer people.
  • The Ontario Line will support 4,700 good-paying jobs annually during construction, protecting Ontario’s workers amid economic uncertainty.
  • The Ontario Line will offer more than 40 connections to other transit services, reducing daily car trips by at least 28,000 and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 14,000 tonnes annually.
  • The Ontario Line will support almost 390,000 daily boardings and reduce travel times from Thorncliffe Park to downtown Toronto from 40 minutes today to 25 minutes.
  • Once complete, the Ontario Line will make it faster and easier to travel across the city. A trip from Pape and Danforth to Queen and University will take less than half the time, going from 25 minutes today to 12 minutes.
  • During peak periods like the morning rush hour, the Ontario Line will reduce crowding by up to 15 per cent on the busiest stretch of TTC’s Line 1 between Bloor-Yonge and Wellesley.
  • As part of the Transportation Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the province is delivering the largest subway expansion in Canadian history with the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and the Yonge North Subway Extension.
  • The Government of Canada is contributing over $4 billion toward the construction of the Ontario Line.

Quotes

Once complete, the new Ontario Line will revolutionize travel across the Greater Toronto Area, reducing gridlock on our roads and highways and improving travel within the City of Toronto. As part of our government’s more than $220 billion capital plan to protect Ontario, we are building transit-oriented communities along several priority subway stops, including at Thorncliffe Park and Cosburn stations on the new Ontario Line. These vibrant, mixed-use communities will create new and improved public spaces, support jobs and deliver more than 3,000 new homes, making it faster and easier for people to connect to transit, right in their own neighbourhood.

– Todd McCarthy

Acting Minister of Infrastructure

With work underway at all Ontario Line stations south of Bloor-Danforth, and iconic bridges being built over the Don River, we are delighted to begin construction of the four northern stations which will put more than 40,000 residents within walking distance of this incredible project.

– Michael Lindsay

President and CEO, Metrolinx

CUTA would like to once again thank Premier Ford and Minister Sarkaria for their leadership on bringing public transit to the forefront of the Greater Golden Horseshoe. This important milestone means that the promise of subway access for thousands of Torontonians is closer than ever. We look forward to the continued progress on the Ontario Line, and the continued commitment to the Government of Ontario on building and maintaining public transit.

– Marco D’Angelo

President and CEO, Canadian Urban Transit Association

RCCAO is thrilled with the progress being made on the Ontario Line and commends the government for continuing to advance this critical transit project. Continued construction progress on priority infrastructure like the Ontario Line is essential to keeping people moving, supporting thousands of good-paying construction jobs, and strengthening Ontario’s economy. Maintaining focus on delivery and expediting major transit investments are key to meeting the region’s long-term mobility and growth needs.

– Nadia Todorova

Executive Director, Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario

Congestion is impacting economic growth, quality of life and cost of living in our region — and the biggest solution lies in expanded transit. That’s why breaking ground on the Ontario Line’s east-end stations sends an important signal to businesses and commuters alike that Toronto is becoming more competitive and better connected. By cutting commute times and linking more people to jobs, the Ontario Line will be a game-changer. This important milestone is worth celebrating.

– Giles Gherson

President and CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade

On behalf of TRACCS Transit and Rail we wish to congratulate the Government of Ontario, Metrolinx and its contractors on this exciting milestone. The Ontario Line is another example of the investment made by all levels of the government that will transform the way we get around in and around Toronto seamlessly with advanced driverless technology.

– Mark Salsberg

Chairperson, TRACCS Transit and Rail

Additional Resources