Ontario Advancing Contract for Yonge North Subway Extension

YORK REGION – The Ontario government is one step closer to getting shovels in the ground on the Yonge North Subway Extension. Today, the province issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Advance Tunnel Contract, marking a significant milestone in its plan to reduce gridlock, connect people to jobs and make travel between York Region and Toronto faster and easier.

“The Yonge North Subway Extension is a critical project for York Region that will provide much-needed access to reliable public transit and connect more people to major employment centres in Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “Together with our partners in Ottawa, York Region and the City of Toronto, we’re demonstrating real progress to make this project a reality and delivering on our plan to build a strong Ontario.”

The Advance Tunnel Contract includes designing the tunnels and building the launch and extraction shafts that will be used for the tunnel boring machines. It also includes the design and construction of headwalls for stations and emergency exit buildings. To deliver the new subway as quickly as possible, tunnelling will begin first, followed by a separate contract to build the stations, rail and systems.

“Partnerships are key to delivering major projects like the Yonge North Subway Extension,” said the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “Our Government will continue to work collaboratively with the Government of Ontario to get transit built in the GTA and across the province.”

Early work on the Yonge North Subway Extension is currently underway at Finch Station, where workers are making upgrades to accommodate the future subway service. Once complete, the approximately eight-kilometre extension will accommodate over 90,000 daily trips, connect more people to jobs, and bring faster transit to more communities across York Region and Toronto.

“The Yonge North Subway Extension remains the top transportation priority for York Regional Council and we are pleased to be working in partnership with the Province of Ontario to take additional steps to move this project forward,” said Wayne Emmerson, York Region Chairman and CEO. “A project of this magnitude has far-reaching benefits for local jobs, the economy, the environment and travellers. York Region welcomes the Ontario government’s commitment to get shovels into the ground on this critical project and support the growth of our communities today and in the future.”

Quick Facts

The Yonge North Subway Extension will put 26,000 more people within a 10-minute walk of transit and is expected to reduce daily travel times for commuters by up to 22 minutes.
By providing an affordable and convenient transit alternative, the Yonge North Subway Extension will cut the distance travelled by personal vehicles by 7,700 kilometres during rush hour and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 4,800 tonnes each year.
Ontario is investing $70.5 billion over the next decade to transform public transit in the province, which includes the largest subway expansion in Canadian history – the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, and the Yonge North Subway Extension.
The Yonge North Subway Extension is expected to create thousands of jobs during construction and generate over $3.6 billion worth of total economic benefits to help stimulate the economy.
Companies interested in bidding on this tunnelling contract must register with www.merx.com to download the RFQ. IO and Metrolinx will evaluate RFQ submissions and shortlist teams to be invited to respond to a Request for Proposals.
In May 2020, Ontario signed a landmark Preliminary Agreement with York Region that will help significantly expand the subway network through the delivery of the Yonge North Subway Extension.
In February 2020, Ontario signed the Ontario-Toronto Transit Partnership Preliminary Agreement with the City of Toronto to deliver on the unified plan to significantly expand and modernize the subway network across the Greater Toronto Area.