Ontario announces 4th stop on Yonge North subway extension

The Ontario government announced on Friday that the fourth stop being added to the Yonge North subway extension will be on Clark Avenue in Thornhill.

The station will join the Steeles, Bridge and Tech stations on the proposed eight-kilometre, $5.6 billion extension, which would see the TTC’s Line 1 travel into Richmond Hill.

“It will be a critical link to the future branch of the York Region viva orange service, unlocking access to key residential and employment growth areas. The new Clark station will serve 2,500 riders during the peak travel hour,” Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney said at a press conference, adding it will reduce travel times and greenhouse gas emissions.

The minister said the extension will create thousands of jobs in both the building and maintenance of the stops.

The extension was originally proposed to have six stops but in March, the Ford government said due to budget concerns, it would be cut to four and part of the line would be built above-ground.

Station possibilities at Cummer and Royal Orchard were also options for the fourth stop.

The other three stations are at Steeles Avenue and then two above-ground stations, one at Highway 7 and Highway 407, and one at High Tech Road, north of Richmond Hill Centre terminal.

In early May, the federal government announced a $10.7 billion investment to help fund the extension as well as three other Ontario major transit projects.

The province hopes to begin construction on the project by 2023 with an earliest end date of sometime in 2029.

— With files from Nick Westoll