Eglinton Crosstown light rail project in Toronto delayed again
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$1 per week for 24 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.99/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/09/2025 (204 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
TORONTO – A major transit project in Toronto has been delayed yet again, though officials are hopeful to get it operational by the end of the year.
There are “performance and reliability” issues with trains on the Eglinton Crosstown light rail transit system as they are pushed through their paces, said Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay.
The provincial agency had hoped to begin a 30-day “revenue service demonstration” in September, but it did not meet that target.
“The target that we had for passenger service in September, unfortunately, is not going to be achieved,” Lindsay said at an unrelated transit announcement on Friday.
“But now, our new focus is on making sure that hopefully it’s just a matter of a couple of weeks.”
The project was first awarded in 2015 and was scheduled to open in 2020, but has been plagued by problems.
Lindsay said they will take as long as needed to ensure the safety and reliability of the line after a boondoggle on Ottawa’s light rail project that led to stoppages, delays, broken trains and a public inquiry.
The Ottawa LRT project has been a cautionary tale that Lindsay says they have learned from.
“I would acknowledge that it’s frustrating that that’s revealing issues that we have to solve, but I’m happy that we’re solving those issues now in this trial running period as opposed to when people are trying to ride this line,” he said.
Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said the delays have been “disappointing.”
“We’re right at the finish line on this and, for us, we are not going to release a system that’s not safe and reliable,” Sarkaria said.
The 19-kilometre east-west transit line will feature 25 stations and run both above and below ground.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2025.