Friday, July 24, 2026
Excavation of the tunnel launch shaft for the Yonge North Subway Extension has been completed.
The project will extend the TTC’s Line 1 subway nearly eight kilometres north from Finch Station to Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill, moving more than 94,000 riders each day and putting nearly 23,000 jobs within walking distance of transit.
“The Yonge North Subway Extension will bring subway service to Markham and Richmond Hill for the first time ever, relieving gridlock and connecting thousands of people to housing and good-paying jobs,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation.
Crews have dug almost 70,000 cubic metres of soil to prepare the tunnel launch shaft site, where two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will begin digging the extension’s twin 6.3-kilometre tunnels. The launch shaft extends 10 metres below ground, requiring 11,000 cubic metres of concrete and 860 tonnes of steel reinforcement to construct.
The Yonge North Subway Extension is No. 17 on ReNew Canada’s 2026 Top100 Projects report.
The Government of Canada is contributing $2.24 billion in funding for the Yonge North Subway Extension.
“Reliable, modern public transit is key to building connected and resilient communities,” said the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure. “We are partnering with provinces and territories to build the local infrastructure that our communities need. The Yonge North Subway Extension is exactly the sort of project that will help grow Toronto strong and shape the future of how we move and explore our community.”
The province recently issued a request for proposals to qualified teams for design and construction of the extension’s stations, tracks and support systems. Ahead of future tunnelling and station construction, crews are relocating utilities to make room for new infrastructure.
The Yonge North Subway Extension will add five new stations to the subway network – Steeles, Clark, Royal Orchard, Bridge and High Tech. Construction of the extension supports 4,300 jobs per year, stimulating the local economy and generating over $3.6 billion in economic benefits.
“Completing excavation at the Yonge North Subway Extension’s tunnel launch shaft and inviting qualified teams to bid on the project’s final major contract reflect a growing momentum building behind this extension. As we get ready to receive the tunnel boring machines that will carve out the extension’s twin tunnels, we’re looking forward to starting the next phase of building this important project,” said Michael Lindsay, president and CEO of Metrolinx.
Featured image: (Metrolinx)
