Ontario Line Breaks Ground on Four New Stations as Mega-Project Takes Shape
The Ontario Line — Toronto's most ambitious transit project in a generation — reached another major milestone this month as the federal government celebrated the groundbreaking of four new subway stations in the city's east end.
Construction is now actively underway at Don Valley, Flemingdon Park, Thorncliffe Park, and Cosburn stations, with foundational work also beginning on nearly three kilometres of elevated guideway that will connect the future above-ground stations.
The Big Picture
When completed, the Ontario Line will be a 15.6-kilometre subway line running from Exhibition Place in the west to the Ontario Science Centre in the northeast. It will add 15 new stations to Toronto's transit map and is projected to carry 388,000 daily riders, relieving pressure on the overcrowded Line 1 — particularly the Yonge-University corridor that has been at or near capacity for years.
The project carries a price tag of $17 to $19 billion and is expected to support 4,700 jobs annually during construction, with a target completion date of 2031.
Why It Matters
For residents of the east end — particularly those in Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park, neighbourhoods that have long been underserved by rapid transit — the Ontario Line represents a generational change. These are some of the most densely populated areas in the city, and many residents currently rely on lengthy, multi-transfer bus commutes to reach downtown or connect to the existing subway network.
The elevated guideway section, while controversial among some residents concerned about noise and visual impact, will allow the line to traverse the Don Valley without the enormous cost and disruption of tunnelling through a river valley.
Construction Impacts
Residents near the construction zones should expect increased truck traffic, noise, and temporary road closures as work intensifies through 2026 and beyond. Metrolinx has set up community liaison offices and is offering regular construction updates.
King Street and Beyond
Meanwhile, other transit-related construction projects across the city are also ramping up. Crews will replace aging watermains on King Street between Close Avenue and Dufferin Street, and streetcar track repairs are planned at the College and Bay intersection — though that work will pause during a construction moratorium tied to the FIFA World Cup.
The Ontario Line won't open for another five years, but the physical transformation of Toronto's east end has already begun. For a city that's been talking about transit expansion for decades, the sight of cranes and construction crews is a welcome — if disruptive — sign of progress.
