Toronto has officially broken ground on a major new addition to its transit network. The province announced the start of construction for Queen Station, one of 15 new stops on the upcoming Ontario Line—a transformative 15.6-kilometre subway line stretching from Exhibition Place to Don Mills Road, where it will connect to Line 5 Eglinton.
Built 40 metres below street level, the new Queen Station will sit beneath the existing TTC hub at Queen and Yonge, eventually becoming the busiest station on the Ontario Line, expected to serve over 15,000 riders during peak hours.
Crews will excavate over 100,000 cubic metres of rock and dirt as part of the massive build. Once complete, the full Ontario Line will feature more than 40 transit connections—linking subways, buses, streetcars, and regional rail—and will reduce car traffic by 28,000 trips per day, according to provincial estimates.
Federal and City Leaders Welcome Milestone
“Canada is a nation of builders,” said Gregor Robertson, federal Minister of Housing and Infrastructure. “This project connects people to the city they love through reliable, sustainable, and affordable transit.”
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow called the Ontario Line “a vital new public transit option” that will ease congestion and improve daily commutes.
“We’re partnering with the province to give riders better public transit options. I’m excited to celebrate this important milestone,” said Chow.
Massive Reach and Impact
The new line is projected to bring 227,500 more Torontonians within walking distance of transit and is expected to handle up to 388,000 daily boardings, running trains as frequently as every 90 seconds during rush hours.
Key east-end stops will include Moss Park, Corktown, East Harbour, Riverside–Leslieville, Gerrard, and Pape, among others.
As construction ramps up, Queen Station marks the first major dig site on what promises to be one of the most significant transit projects in Toronto’s modern history.