Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown LRT opening delayed until 2022

Metrolinx says the opening date for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT (light rail transit) project has been delayed until 2022.

“It is expected that the LRT will open well into 2022,” Metrolinx president and CEO Phil Verster said in a statement.

The transit system was scheduled to be up and running by September 2021.

“Unfortunately, Crosslinx Transit Solutions (CTS) has faced a number of challenges since the start of the project, including starting nine months later than planned after contract award in July 2015, were slow to finalize the designs with some design work packages, and although CTS has significantly improved its production rate since the 2018 agreement, it has achieved only 84 per cent of its target, meaning the project will be delayed,” Metrolinx added.

Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario said they are not making precise predictions of the project completion date at this point, citing the need to have proof that CTS can achieve the new production rates and that the project remains within budget.

Metrolinx added that it will continue to update the public on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT’s progress over the next two years.

“Ultimately, our goal is to deliver more transit to the region as quickly as possible without compromising safety or quality,” Metrolinx said. “Like all transit riders in the region, we are disappointed that the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will not be operational in September 2021.”

1:57 Toronto shop owners furious at Eglinton-Crosstown delay

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT is a midtown connection between the west and east ends of Toronto. Starting from Mount Dennis to Kennedy, its slated to have 25 stations along the dedicated route, some stations will be above ground and others underground.

Toronto Mayor John Tory responded to the delay in the crosstown’s opening.

“The mayor has certainly made it known that businesses along Eglinton Avenue need this finished and commuters need the transit,” Tory’s office said in a statement.

“Mayor Tory strongly believes people want us to get on with building new transit in Toronto and upgrading our existing transit system. That’s why, under the Mayor’s leadership, we are getting on with expanding and improving our transit system right now.”

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