Bold claim: after nearly 15 years of construction, delays, lawsuits, and exhaustive testing, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is finally nearing its long-awaited opening.
A Tuesday statement from the office of Ontario’s Transportation Minister, Prabmeet Sarkaria, announced that the revenue service demonstration — a critical 30-day test officials say is essential before opening — has been completed. A Sarkaria spokesperson added that, following the same steps used for the Finch West LRT, the project will move toward substantial completion and then be fully transferred to the TTC.
Sarkaria had previously described the line as “so, so close” to opening on Monday, noting that the day marked the final phase of testing. Construction on the roughly $13-billion, 19-kilometre east–west route began in 2011 and was originally slated to open in 2020. Since then, the project has faced delays from COVID-19, litigation against Metrolinx, and safety concerns.
Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay indicated that, in the coming week, the line will undergo a final round of addressing minor deficiencies, following a playbook similar to Finch West LRT, which is slated to open on December 7. He added that the next step involves coordinating with the TTC to plan passenger-service ramp-up and the first date on which passengers will be allowed to ride the system.
Opening timing remains uncertain, and it is not clear whether service will begin before the end of 2025 as previously hoped. During an unrelated press conference last week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford described the ongoing delays as driving him “crazy.” He also said he would secure confirmation from Metrolinx on the opening date, noting the project is now at least $1 billion over budget.
Sarkaria faced questions about a firm opening date at Queen’s Park on Tuesday, and he acknowledged that a date before the New Year remained a possibility. He also pointed out that, unlike Finch West LRT, Crosstown operator training has been underway for nearly a year, meaning the interval between revenue demonstration completion and opening cannot be directly compared. He promised continued coordination with TTC to determine the exact opening date.
Report contributed by Joshua Freeman.
