Ontario, York Region sign partnership deal for York subway extension

TORONTO — The Ontario government has signed an agreement with the Regional Municipality of York in a joint undertaking to build the Yonge North Subway Extension project.

Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney announced the Ontario-York Region Transit Partnership Preliminary Agreement May 28. The project is one of the four priority projects included in Ontario’s New Subway Plan for the GTA unveiled in April 2019. The others are the Ontario Line, the three-stop Scarborough Subway Extension and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension with a planned connection to Pearson airport.

The Yonge North project involves extending the existing Yonge Subway (Line 1) north from Finch Station. The agreement lays out responsibilities and potential funding mechanisms.

Mulroney’s statement called on the federal government to support the four projects with at least 40 per cent funding.

“Our government is one step closer to delivering on its plan for more rapid, reliable and seamlessly connected transit in the GTA,” said Mulroney in the statement.

“Formalizing this funding partnership with the federal government remains a top priority, given the significant benefits to the local, regional, provincial and national economy that Ontario’s plan will generate over the next 10 years and beyond.”