subway arrives at union

Yonge North Subway Extension

Extending Line 1 subway service nearly 8 km north from Finch Station to Richmond Hill.

We know you have questions about the Yonge North Subway Extension, and we have answers. Below, you will find answers to the most asked-about topics for this important project.

If you have a question that isn't answered below, please reach out to us at YongeSubwayExt@metrolinx.com so that a member of our team can help you.

Budget and timeline

The 2019 provincial budget estimates capital costs for the Yonge North Subway Extension to be $5.6 billion. Cost estimates for the project will be refined throughout the procurement process.

Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario are moving the project forward under the Subway Program, which includes three other rapid transit expansions that will get the region moving — the Ontario Line, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, and the Scarborough Subway Extension.

The provincial government has committed almost $17 billion toward the Subway Program, as a whole.

In 2021, the federal government announced a $10.4 billion funding commitment to Ontario’s four priority subway projects, including the Yonge North Subway Extension.

York Region has pledged to contribute proportional funding to the capital construction costs of the project through a preliminary agreement with the provincial government. The final contribution from the region will be subject to further refinements to the project’s budget and scope.

Route

Aligning the northern part of the Yonge North Subway Extension with the existing railway corridor south of Langstaff Road will create better transit connections, minimize construction impacts, and protect project timelines. It will also ensure the project can accommodate more stations within the approved funding envelope of $5.6 billion.

Running the extension at surface level along the existing railway corridor means the project will better serve the Richmond Hill Centre and Langstaff Gateway urban growth centre, which is poised for significant development. Creating stronger connections here will mean better connections to GO trains and buses and York Region Transit and Viva bus rapid transit services. A major transit hub at Bridge Station will make it easier to travel in all directions, making it convenient for riders to reach destinations across the wider region.

This approach also means we can finish the project quickly by reducing the need for complex and time-consuming construction of tunnels and underground stations. Minimizing the need for large, disruptive excavation sites for underground stations and exit buildings also allows us to limit property needs in the surface-level section of the route. Limiting construction work to areas that are more out of the way will also cut down on disruptions of hydro, natural gas, and water service as we bring you more transit.

Stations

The stations on the northern section of the extension are placed the way they are to serve the most people in the future, making it faster and easier for riders to use the subway and connect to transit services across the region, and to better support growth while curbing local traffic congestion.

Since the neighbourhoods surrounding Bridge and High Tech stations are expected to grow significantly in the years to come, these stations will contribute a large portion of the riders that will use the extension, especially those who transfer to the subway from a bus.

Located between Highway 7 and Highway 407, Bridge Station will create vital connections between the subway and the Richmond Hill GO line, as well as GO bus, Viva bus rapid transit and local bus services that run along the two major highways. It’s also worth noting that the station at High Tech Road would put the subway within walking distance for more than half of the residents expected to live in the Richmond Hill Centre area by 2041.

Engagement process

Community input is essential to the work we do.

Metrolinx will reach out to communities through the planning and construction process to create connections between the people we serve and the innovative work being done to bring this important project to life.

If you’d like to connect with us about our plans for the Yonge North Subway Extension, please join us at the virtual and in-person open house events that will be held throughout the course of the project.

To get the most up-to-date information on the project and to share your input, you can visit the Get Involved page.

There, you can submit questions and comments through our engagement portal. You can also subscribe to our e-newsletter to get the latest project updates delivered directly to you.

You can learn more and review the latest environmental studies for the Yonge North Subway Extension by visiting the Studies page.

Transit corridor lands

Transit corridor lands are lands that may be needed for the planning, design and construction of priority transit projects. Designating these lands will help Metrolinx build transit faster, resulting in fewer inconveniences for neighbouring communities.

Many who own or occupy property on transit corridor land will experience little to no impacts. For others, it may mean a change to some existing processes.

Owning property that is on transit corridor land does not restrict or prevent you from renting, leasing or selling your property now or in the future.You can learn more about transit corridor lands and the permitting and property access conditions that apply to them at metrolinx.com/property.

Property acquisitions

We are still determining impacts and confirmation of properties through further environmental assessment and design work.

Metrolinx only acquires properties that are absolutely necessary for projects. Our goal is always to affect the fewest number of people by minimizing the footprint of our land requirements through careful planning and design.

We understand that residents and businesses want specific details about impacts to their properties, and we will reach out individually to property owners as soon as we can.

Learn more about the property acquisition process.

Community and customer impacts

The bottom of the tunnels – where trains pass over the tracks – will be at least 21 metres below the surface from Yonge Street to approximately where the existing railway corridor meets the southern boundary of Holy Cross Cemetery.

Where the route crosses below Pomona Creek, beyond where homes are located, the tunnels will still be at a depth of 14 metres.

This slightly shallower depth is because the ground level here is slightly lower than the surrounding land in the neighbourhood. From here, it will gradually rise to meet the surface rail corridor just south of Langstaff Road.

Based on what’s been experienced on other recent subway projects in the GTA, we know the sounds and vibrations from subway trains traveling in the tunnels below Royal Orchard will be very difficult to notice.

Learn more about subway tunnelling and the modern solutions used to manage noise and vibration from new transit service.

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