Ontario Line spans 15.6 km with 15 stations in Toronto

The Ontario Line is under construction through the heart of Downtown Toronto, adding 15.6 km of subway service with 15 stations. The line is part of a $70 billion Ontario commitment to transit expansion and is designed to reach 230,000 people within walking distance of public transit.

It is also expected to handle nearly 400,000 daily boardings. The project includes underground, above ground and elevated track sections, placing it at the center of a transit buildout that will shape how people move through the city.

Chris Hume on Toronto

Chris Hume, a Toronto journalist, said Canada’s system does not match the reality of cities and suburbs. He said, “We're a country that was set up in the 19th century when conditions were completely different and we haven’t budged an inch since then.”

Hume also said, “Most Canadians have never been anywhere near the Great White North and they live in the cities or suburbs but that reality is completely ignored by the legislative system that we have here.” He added, “It reflects a reality that hasn't existed for decades and decades.”

Ontario transit spending

Local governments own about 60% of the country’s core infrastructure but receive just eight to ten cents of every tax dollar. Transport Canada predicted last year that $284 billion needs to be spent to upgrade rail services by 2070, while $3.3 trillion needs spending on new roads and highways.

That leaves the Ontario Line inside a broader funding gap that has been described as a national infrastructure deficit of between $110 billion and $270 billion. Toronto’s population is expected to rise from about six million to ten million people by 2050, giving the new line a larger ridership base to serve.

Downtown Toronto buildout

The Ontario Line is the largest of multiple new subway and light rail lines in Ontario’s transit plan. As construction continues through downtown Toronto, the question for riders is less about the line’s size than whether the region can keep pace with the growth already built into it.