Saturday, May 31, 2025
The Government of Ontario announced that excavation work at the Ontario Line’s Queen Station has started, marking another milestone in the province’s plan to build world-class transit.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we’re building the Ontario Line to keep people moving across the city with faster, more reliable transit,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “The Ontario Line is a game-changer for our economy, connecting more people to housing and supporting thousands of good-paying construction jobs at a time when we must protect Ontario workers and businesses from growing threats south of the border.”
With crews set to excavate more than 100,000 cubic metres of dirt and rock, the new Ontario Line platform at Queen Station will be built 40 metres below street level, directly beneath the existing TTC Queen Station. It will be the busiest stop on the Ontario Line, serving over 15,000 riders during peak hours and significantly improving access to destinations throughout the downtown and across the Greater Toronto Area.
“Canada is a nation of builders; this project builds connectivity for the people of Toronto to connect them to the city they love through reliable, sustainable, and affordable public transit,” said Gregor Robertson, federal Minister of Housing and Infrastructure. “I’m thrilled to see the work begin for the Queen Station to continue to build Canada strong.”
Once complete, the 15.6-kilometre Ontario Line will have 15 stations, running from Exhibition Place through the downtown core and connecting to the Line 5 Eglinton at Don Mills Road. The line will offer more than 40 connections to other subway, bus, streetcar and regional train services, bringing 227,500 more people within walking distance of transit and reducing daily car trips by at least 28,000.
“We need to get Toronto moving for drivers, pedestrians and public transit users. The Ontario Line is a vital new public transit option that will alleviate congestion and help hundreds of thousands of Torontonians get to their destination faster,” said Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto. “We are partnering together with the province to give riders better public transit options. I’m excited to celebrate this important milestone.”
“We’re excited to work with our partners in government to deliver the Ontario Line, which will vastly improve travel times and enable thousands of journeys across the city. The start of excavation work at what will be the busiest station on this new line is an important milestone for the project,” said Michael Lindsay, interim president and CEO, Metrolinx.
Featured image: Ontario Line’s Queen Station, located on northeast corner of Queen and Yonge, making use of existing TTC station entrance building at 2 Queen St. E. (Government of Ontario)
