Ontario Line

More Than Just Rush Hour Relief
The proposed Ontario Line will connect the city like never before. It will be more than just a subway to alleviate crowding on TTC Line 1 – it will be a link to communities across Toronto. From east to west, north to south, from Ontario Place to the Ontario Science Centre, there’s never been a connection in the heart of the city like this one will be. Getting downtown from previously underserved areas will be a breeze, and there will be more trains arriving at stations more frequently.
As we prepare for population increases in Toronto and across the GTA, Metrolinx will be building vital, fast, reliable transit solutions to serve everyone across the region.

15
Stops

~16
Kilometres

30 Minutes
from Exhibition Place
to Ontario Science
Centre
Where Will the Subway Stop?
With fifteen potential stations between Exhibition Place and Ontario Science Centre and potential links to GO Transit and TTC Lines 1 and 2, the Ontario Line will open up the city for all residents to live, work and play the way they want to, when they want.

More Transit for More Communities - Sooner
The Ontario Line will bring more transit to more in-need communities sooner than previously thought by using a mix of at-grade (surface) track, elevated guideways and underground tunnels. This type of approach comes with many benefits, including:
- Shorter construction timelines, fewer construction impacts – Limiting the amount of tunneling and excavation needed for the project reduces its complexity, which in turn helps reduce construction timelines and property impacts. This will be done by aligning Ontario Line operations within sections of existing above-ground rail corridors in the western and eastern segments of the line, and along elevated structures in the northern segment. In communities like Leslieville, we are also able to streamline our work with GO Expansion plans along the existing rail corridor, which reduces the number of construction zones and related impacts in the surrounding community.
- Faster and more convenient transfers – Customers using above-ground stations will be able to get where they need to go sooner by avoiding lengthy journeys underground and by taking advantage of faster transfers to other surface transit routes. For instance, an underground East Harbour station would have needed to be built nearly 40 metres underground to reach under the Don River. This very deep station would have added 4.5 minutes to each transfer, adding significant time to people’s commutes.
- More rapid transit for more communities – The Ontario Line is able to reach transit-deprived communities sooner than previously thought. These include the growing and vibrant neighbourhoods of Flemingdon Park, Thorncliffe Park, Liberty Village and Fort York.
Running along a mix of above-ground and underground tracks is not a new approach --- the TTC has done this with Line 1, Line 2 and Line 3, and many other transit systems have adopted it to deliver superior rapid transit within impressive timeframes. For example, the majority of stations and tracks for world-class transit services like Vancouver’s SkyTrain network and London, England’s Docklands Light Railway system are above ground. Since those systems began in the 80s, the SkyTrain has become the longest rapid transit system in Canada and the Docklands Light Railway system has grown to nearly 40 kilometres’ worth of track.
Convenience Across the Line
As the city expands and develops more housing in the region, an estimated 255,000 more residents will be within 10-minutes walking distance to the stops on the Ontario Line, making the commute across the city a better experience overall.
Faster Commutes
The Ontario Line will likely deliver up to 40 trains per hour, as frequently as every 90 seconds, providing shorter wait times for customers and faster daily commutes. With quicker travel times and more options to move, you’ll have more time for life, family and things that bring you joy.
By the Numbers
(All numbers are approximate, based on current plans for the project)
Aspect | Future |
---|---|
Proposed stations | 15 |
End-to-end journey time | 30 minutes or less |
Proposed connections to other transit options | Over 40, including:
|
Route length | ~16km |
Ridership | 388,000 daily boardings |
Frequency | As frequent as every 90 seconds during rush hour |
Improved access to transit | 255,000 more people within walking distance to transit |
Improved access to jobs | Up to 47,000 more jobs accessible in 45 minutes or less, on average
|
Reductions in rush hour crowding |
|
Daily reductions in traffic congestion | 28,000 fewer cars on the road |
Yearly reductions in fuel consumption | 7.2 million litres |
Get Involved
Your opinion matters. You can always share thoughts, questions or comments on the project by emailing ontarioline@metrolinx.com or by visiting our online engagement hub.
Recent Developments
December 17, 2020
- Metrolinx released the Preliminary Design Business Case, which provides a more detailed understanding of the benefits of the project. It builds upon the Initial Business Case, which was released in July 2019.
- Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx issued Requests for Proposals for two major packages of work – one for the Southern Civil, Stations & Tunnels package and one for the Rolling Stock, Systems, Operations and Maintenance package.
November 30, 2020
- Metrolinx released the Draft Early Works Report for Exhibition Station for public feedback. The report provides details on some of the upgrades that will be made at the site along with the impacts and related mitigations that can be expected during construction.
- Metrolinx published the Final Environmental Conditions Report after seeking and addressing public feedback on an earlier draft that was posted on September 17, 2020. The report describes existing environmental conditions within the Ontario Line study area and an initial understanding of potential impacts the project may have, along with recommended mitigations.
In The News
- Exploring the city in less time – The latest in Ontario Line benefits are now online - December 17, 2020
- Updated plans for the Ontario Line’s North segment: A better fit for the community - October 6, 2020
- Updated Ontario Line plans from the Don River to Gerrard: Maximizing space within the existing GO rail corridor - September 29, 2020
- Zooming in on Ontario Line plans from Osgoode to the Don River – Delivering a line below Toronto’s Queen Street that’s been anticipated for more than a century - September 23, 2020
- Zooming in on Ontario Line plans from Exhibition to Spadina: Travel time savings and heritage protections - September 17, 2020
- Perfecting the alignment: How Toronto’s Ontario Line route was designed - May 21, 2020
Community Notices
Whole Line
West Segment
- Update: Investigative drilling work adjacent to rail corridor near Corktown Common - Beginning January 11, 2021
- Update: Visual survey work in the west and downtown segments – Beginning January 11, 2021
- Update: Investigative drilling work on Queen Street West at Peter Street - Beginning January 5, 2021
- Update: Investigative night drilling work on Lakeshore West Rail Corridor, near Exhibition GO - Resuming January 4, 2021
- Update: Underground investigative survey on Simcoe Street, York Street, Bay Street and Queen Street West - Resuming December 17
Downtown Segment
- Update: Investigative drilling work adjacent to rail corridor near Corktown Common - Beginning January 11, 2021
- Update: Visual survey work in the west and downtown segments – Beginning January 11, 2021
- Update: Underground investigative survey on Simcoe Street, York Street, Bay Street and Queen Street West - Resuming December 17
East Segment
- Update: Investigative drilling work at the Gerrard-Carlaw Parkette - Beginning January 12, 2021
- Update: Investigative drilling work on Thackeray Street - Beginning December 21, 2020