Line 5 Eglinton
Flexity Freedom test train west ofScience Centre (2024)
Overview
Status	Under construction
Owner	Metrolinx
Locale	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Termini	Mount Dennis (phase 1, western) Renforth (phase 2, western) Kennedy (eastern)
Stations	32
Service
Type	Light rail
System	Toronto subway
Operator(s)	Toronto Transit Commission[1]
Depot(s)	Eglinton Maintenance and Storage Facility
Rolling stock	Flexity Freedom
History
Planned opening	Central:TBA[2] West: 2031; 6 years' time (2031)[3]
Technical
Line length	28 km (17 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line, 750 V DC[4]
Operating speed	In tunnel: 80 km/h (50 mph) On surface: 60 km/h (37 mph)[5]
Signalling	AlstomCityflo 650CBTC[6]
Route map Legend ToPearson Airport (proposed) Mississauga Transitway Renforth Highway 427 Mimico Creek Martin Grove Kipling Islington Royal York Scarlett Humber River Jane Phase 2 Phase 1 Mount Dennis Eglinton MSF Black Creek Drive Black Creek Keelesdale Caledonia Fairbank Oakwood Cedarvale(Eglinton West) Forest Hill Chaplin Avenue Eglinton Mount Pleasant Leaside Laird West Don River Sunnybrook Park Canadian Pacific Kansas City Science Centre Aga Khan Park & Museum Don Valley Parkway Wynford East Don River Richmond Hill line Sloane O'Connor Pharmacy Hakimi Lebovic Golden Mile Birchmount Ionview Line 2 toKipling Kennedy (GO) Line 2 to McCowan/Sheppard (future) Eglinton East LRT (proposed) All stations are accessible This diagram: view talk edit Show route diagram map Show interactive map (phase 1) Show static map

Line 5 Eglinton, also known as theEglinton Crosstown LRT or theCrosstown, is alight rail transit line that is under construction inToronto, Ontario, Canada, that will be part of theToronto subway system. Owned byMetrolinx and operated by theToronto Transit Commission (TTC), the line was conceived in 2007 during the administration of Toronto mayorDavid Miller as part ofTransit City, a large-scale transit expansion plan that included several light rail lines proposed across the city. While the plan was later dropped by successive municipal governments, only the Eglinton Crosstown LRT received support and funding from theGovernment of Ontario under premierKathleen Wynne.^[7]

The line is being constructed in two phases. The first phase of the 19-kilometre (12 mi) line will include 25 stops alongEglinton Avenue, fromMount Dennis station mostly underground toLaird station, after which it will run predominantly at-grade within the street'smedian toKennedy station, where it will connect underground withLine 2 Bloor–Danforth. Automatic train control will be used in the tunnelled sections. This first phase has an estimated cost ofCA$12.82 billion;^[8] the cost when the contract was awarded was pegged at $9.1 billion, although the cost was originally estimated at $11 billion.^[9] This phase is incomplete and has no scheduled opening date. A second phase, a 9.2-kilometre (5.7 mi) westward extension from Mount Dennis, will run mostly underground or elevated toRenforth station, with seven new stations. The second phase is expected to cost $4.7 billion and to be completed by 2031. Construction of the westward extension to Renforth station began in July 2021.^[10][11][3]

Two future extensions were planned: an eastern extension to theUniversity of Toronto Scarborough^[12] and a northwestern extension towardsToronto Pearson International Airport.^[13] In 2022, the city of Toronto converted the eastern extension into a city project and a separate line known as theEglinton East LRT using light rail technology incompatible with the Line 5 technology.

Construction of the first phase of the line began in 2011 and was originally expected to be completed in 2020,^[14] but the opening date has been revised several times.^[15] Metrolinx expected the line to be substantially complete by September 2022 but then conceded it would not meet that date. After revising the opening date of the central section to 2023 and then, amid ongoing legal action against Crosslinx (the construction consortium), Metrolinx stated they believed there was no credible schedule to complete the project.^{[16][17][18][19]} While the central section was estimated to be 97 percent complete in September 2023, Metrolinx refused to provide an estimated completion date, although they did indicate they would provide notice three months before opening.^[20][21] In early October 2024, Metrolinx stated that the line would not open in 2024.^[22] On December 4, 2024, CouncillorJamaal Myers, chairman of the TTC board, stated that the TTC did not expect Line 5 to open before June 1, 2025, at the earliest.^[23]

The origins of Line 5 Eglinton can be traced to the 1985Network 2011 plan conceived by theMetropolitan Toronto government as the TTC and Metro began to install the busway along Eglinton. It was to be completed by 2003. In 1986, a coalition ofCity of York and Etobicoke Metro councillors and theRegional Municipality of Peel persuaded Metro Council to include anEglinton West line in a new Transit Network Plan. Work on the subway line began in 1994 and was halted following theelection in 1995, which sawMike Harris taking power and led to the cancellation of the Eglinton West line, with the existing tunnel quickly filled in.^[24]

Line 5 Eglinton was originally conceived as the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, a partially underground light rail line, announced in 2007 by Toronto mayorDavid Miller and TTC chairAdam Giambrone. It was part of theTransit City plan, which included the implementation of six other light rail lines across Toronto. The original version of the line would have run fromPearson Airport along Silver Dart Drive to Convair Drive. The line would have then turned southwest to a bridge overHighway 401 to reach Commerce Boulevard on the other side, where it would run south to reach Eglinton Avenue and the east end of theMississauga Transitway. The rest of the line would run east along Eglinton Avenue, including a portion along which the cancelled Eglinton West subway line would have been built. The line would then traverse the city, connecting withLine 1 Yonge–University,Line 2 Bloor–Danforth, andLine 3 Scarborough.

There were 43 stops planned for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, 13 of which would be underground.^[25] Surface stops would be spaced on average 500 metres (550 yd) apart and the underground stations would be 850 m (930 yd) apart on average, as constructing numerous underground stops would be costly. The average speed would be 28 kilometres per hour (17 mph),^[26][27] compared with the existing bus routes along Eglinton that have an average speed of 16 to 18 km/h (9.9 to 11.2 mph).^[28] The line would terminate at Kennedy station to the east inScarborough where it would meet Line 2 Bloor–Danforth, the proposedScarborough Malvern LRT andGO Transit'sStouffville line. The expected cost wasCA$4.6 billion.^[29] As a result of provincial funding cuts, construction of the line was divided into two phases: phase one would end atJane Street, and phase two would terminate as had been planned at theToronto Pearson International Airport.^[30]

Miller's successor,Rob Ford, announced the cancellation of Transit City on December 1, 2010, the day he took office.^[31] He proposed an alternative titled the "Eglinton–Scarborough Crosstown line", which put the 19-kilometre (12 mi) line along Eglinton Avenue completely underground. The line would have then followed the route of Line 3 Scarborough, thus forming a single line continuously fromBlack Creek Drive toMcCowan. The cost would almost double to $8.2 billion and, compared to the original plan, 18 fewer stops were planned, including the elimination of the connection to Pearson Airport. Most of the additional cost would have come from putting 12 additional stations underground and for converting the Scarborough RT.

On February 8, 2012, in a special meeting, Toronto City Council, led byKaren Stintz, voted 25–18 to override Mayor Ford's modifications to the project.^[32] The vote reinstated the original proposal to only construct the portion between Laird Drive and Keele Street underground while the remainder of the line is built along the surface.^[32] On November 30, 2012, the environmental assessment was revised, such that the east tunnel portal location would be moved from east of Brentcliffe to east of Don Mills;^[33] however, this was reversed in May 2013 after receiving community feedback.^[34] In January 2013, city councillors from Scarborough put forward an alternative plan to proceed with the construction of the Eglinton Avenue portion of the line as planned but to exclude the Scarborough RT. In July 2013, plans for an "Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown" line were abandoned, thereby reverting the entire line back to the plan that had been conceived under Transit City.^[35][36]

The environmental assessment evaluated the line running in the middle of Eglinton Avenue through the valley at Leslie Street. However, in late 2012 and early 2013, there were proposals to locate the tracks elsewhere.

In 2012,Metrolinx discovered that there would be minimal cost differential between tunnelling under the West Don River atLeslie Street (the proposed location of the Sunnybrook Park stop) versus laying the track on the surface. Also, tunnelling through that section would have provided "significant improvements to construction staging, schedule and traffic impacts", according to Metrolinx.^[37][38] Thus, in December 2012, Metrolinx proposed continuing the LRT tunnel from Laird station to Science Centre station and eliminating the planned Sunnybrook Park surface stop. It did not want to build an underground station at the Sunnybrook location as it would cost $80 to $100 million (as compared to about $3 million for a surface stop). Metrolinx considered the cost of an underground station to be unjustified given its low projected ridership (650 passengers at the busiest hour). Local residents objected to the elimination of their stop,^[39] and by mid-2013, Metrolinx had relented and the surface stop was restored.^[37][40]

Members of the public asked Metrolinx why it was proposing a centre-of-road alignment instead of running the tracks on the south side of Eglinton Avenue through the valley at Leslie Street. The south-side alignment would have avoided going through the signaled intersection at Leslie Street. Metrolinx explained that the alternate alignment "was more expensive and [would have] required an EA amendment. Due to project implementation timelines the project is proceeding with the EA option". They also stated, "It is very difficult (if not impossible) to relocate the portal from the centre of Eglinton (as proposed in the current design) and shift it to the south side of the right-of-way and continue to use the existing bridge."^[41]

In a later phase, Metrolinx had planned for the Eglinton Crosstown to be extended westwards from Mount Dennis along Eglinton Avenue West to Toronto Pearson International Airport. However, during his successful campaign in the2014 Toronto mayoral election, John Tory proposedSmartTrack, which would have included a heavy rail transit line established along this section of Eglinton Avenue.^[42][43] In 2016, theCity of Toronto released a feasibility report that found this proposal would have significant capital costs ranging from $3.6 billion to $7.7 billion. In comparison, extending the Eglinton Crosstown as approved would cost $1.3 billion. It was also found that a light rail transit line would attract higher ridership than a heavy rail line.^[44]

The City of Toronto's chief planner recommended the extension of the Eglinton Crosstown line (referred to as Crosstown West) to Pearson Airport in lieu of establishing SmartTrack on Eglinton Avenue, based upon negative community impacts, higher costs, and lower projected ridership associated with a heavy rail corridor.^[44] On January 19, 2016, Tory agreed with the analysis and supported Metrolinx's original plan of extending the Crosstown.^[45] Tory included the Crosstown West as a light-rail component of his SmartTrack plan.^[46]

In June 2016, the estimated completion date was 2023.^[47] The estimated cost to build the Eglinton West LRT was $2.47 billion of which the City of Toronto would contribute $1.18 billion, the federal government would contribute $822.9 million, and theCity of Mississauga and theGreater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) would be asked to contribute $470 million for the portion of the line in Mississauga. Approvals for the financing were still to be secured as of November 2, 2016.^[48]

Public meetings for the extension, renamed the Eglinton West LRT, began November 13, 2017.^[49][50]

The 2010 Environmental Assessment for Transit City originally considered an entirely at-grade light rail line running west from Weston Road and Mount Dennis station. However, by October 2017, the city was considering grade separation using fly-overs and fly-unders at six intersections: Martin Grove Road,Kipling Avenue,Islington Avenue,Royal York Road, Scarlett Road, and Jane Street, with surface running between stations.^[51][52][53]

On November 21, 2017, city staff recommended just 10 stops along Eglinton West between Mount Dennis station andRenforth station on theMississauga Transitway. The most recent recommendation dropped the stops at Rangoon, East Mall, and Russell / Eden Valley.^[54][55]

At a city executive committee meeting on November 28, 2017, city staff recommended building the extension without any grade separation. City staff had concluded that a fully at-grade extension would provide better access for transit users and have fewer environmental impacts. Grade separation would have little improvement on traffic because the at-grade option would use signal coordination; however, grade separation would require fewer restrictions on left turns. There would be no difference in development potential with either option. However, because of feedback from the public and local politicians, Mayor John Tory recommended more study on grade separation.^[53] A fully at-grade extension was estimated to cost $1.5 to $2.1 billion. Grade separation would add an extra $881.9 million to $1.32 billion to that cost.^[53]

In April 2019, the brother of Rob Ford, Ontario premierDoug Ford, announced a plan for transit in the Greater Toronto Area. This included the planned extension of Line 5 Eglinton west to Pearson Airport with a section of the line built underground from Royal York to Martin Grove.^[56] In February 2020, Metrolinx released an initial business case analysis of the project with four options, including three which were below-grade.^[57] Metrolinx ultimately decided on a mostly grade-separated line with seven stations (four underground, two elevated, one at ground level).^[58]

The decision to run trains above ground near the proposed station at Jane Street led to protests from late 2022 and the erection of atipi and other temporary structures by localFirst Nations groups from early February 2023.^[59][60] As of that month, the coalition was asking Metrolinx to pause development until a resolution was found. The group also requested more "transparency about the project – its costs, its size, and its impact".^[61]

Building a mostly grade-separated extension is expected to cost $4.7 billion and would have 7 stations and an estimated 37,000 daily boardings. For comparison, a surface line would have cost $2.9 billion and have had 10 ground-level stations and an estimated 42,500 daily boardings. Travel time savings on an underground line would have been double that for a surface line and such a line would have been fully weatherproof, but the reduction in stations was projected to have led to a lower estimated ridership, though local bus service would have been retained given the increased spacing between stations.^[62] During the2018 Ontario general election,Liberal andProgressive Conservative candidates forEtobicoke Centre,Yvan Baker andKinga Surma respectively, supported the underground option.^[63] Of the three major parties, only NDP candidate Erica Kelly supported the surface option. Doug Ford, campaigning to become the premier of Ontario, preferred underground construction.^[64]

Crosslinx Transit Solutions (CTS), a consortium of more than 26 companies, was awarded the contract to design, build and finance the Eglinton Crosstown line and to maintain it for 30 years. The contract, which excludes boring the tunnels, is for completing all other remaining work, including the stations and the finishing work within the tunnels. Some of the members of the consortium areSNC-Lavalin,Aecon,EllisDon, ACS Infrastructure Canada, Dragados, IBI Group andScotiabank. The contract defines apublic–private partnership.^[9][65]

The 30-year contract to build and maintain the line will total $9.1 billion. Capital costs will be $5.3 billion, with each of the 15 underground stations costing $80–$100 million to build and the ten street-level stops $3–$5 million each. The remainder will be for financing, lifecycle and maintenance costs.^[9]

In July 2015, the Crosslinx Transit Solutions Maintenance General Partnership consortium awardedBombardier Transportation a 30-year contract to maintain Line 5's light-rail vehicles. The contract was worth $403 million.^[66] Bombardier will also maintain wayside systems (track and overhead catenary) for Line 5.^[67]

2010

On July 28, 2010, Metrolinx ordered fourtunnel boring machines (TBMs) from Caterpillar at a cost of $54 million.^[68] Each TBM is 10 metres (33 ft) long, 6.5 metres (21 ft) in diameter and weighs 400 tonnes (390 long tons; 440 short tons). They bore 10 metres (33 ft) per day, 16 to 20 metres (52 to 66 ft) below the surface.^[69] The TBMs were named Dennis, Lea, Humber, and Don. The names were chosen by Jason Paris, a moderator of theUrbanToronto blog and web forums. Dennis is named afterMount Dennis, Lea is named afterLeaside, Humber is named after theHumber River, and Don is named after theDon River. The names Dennis and Lea combined allude to the Canadian poetDennis Lee, best known for the children's illustrated poetry bookAlligator Pie.^[70][71] When boring work was completed, enough dirt had been removed to fill theScotiabank Arena to the height of theCN Tower.^[72]

2011

In August 2011, preparation for construction of a launch shaft for tunnel boring machines at Black Creek Drive began,^[73] while in October of that year, the first part of tunnel construction started.^[74]

On November 9, 2011, in Keelesdale Park, Mayor Rob Ford and PremierDalton McGuinty officially broke ground on the new project.^[75]

2012

In May 2012, TTC staff released a report saying that completion of the Eglinton Crosstown was unlikely by 2020 and that a more realistic in-service date would be 2022–2023. The main reason given was that the project management had been transferred from the TTC to Infrastructure Ontario, which uses the Alternative Finance and Procurement strategy. That strategy would use a private contractor to complete the project, effectively requiring that contractor to redo all design work already completed by the TTC.^[76] The TTC also warned that Metrolinx's aggressive timeline would lead to severe construction-related disruptions to communities and traffic because large stretches of the Eglinton Avenue would have to be torn up concurrently to meet deadlines.^[77]

2013

In January 2013,Infrastructure Ontario issued arequest for qualifications to shortlist companies to construct the line. Arequest for proposal was expected in mid-2013.^[78]

On February 22, 2013, TBMs Dennis and Lea arrived in Keelesdale Park.^[79]

In June 2013, the TBMs Dennis and Lea began tunnelling on the line. Traffic on Eglinton Avenue near Keele Street was reduced to one lane in each direction.^[80]

On November 12, 2013, Metrolinx awarded a contract to a joint venture between Aecon Group and ACS Dragados Canada to construct the tunnel for the eastern portion of the line between Yonge Street and Laird Drive.^[81]

2014

In March 2014, work began to clear utilities and trees on the south side of Eglinton Avenue just east of Brentcliffe Road to set up the eastern launch shaft. For two and a half years, traffic around the excavation site will be reduced from two to one lane in each direction. West of the site, more lane restrictions would go into effect to construct head walls (below-ground walls that form the ends of each subway station) at the futureLaird, Bayview (later renamed Leaside) and Mount Pleasant stations. There would also be lane restrictions for two years near Hanna Road to build an emergency exit nearLeaside High School.^[72]

By April 2014, the TBMs had arrived atCaledonia station.^[82] In April 2014,The Globe and Mail reported that the two western tunnel boring machines were excavating "approximately 1,000 cubic yards [760 m³] of spoil", per day.^[83]

For the year prior to May 2014, the two TBMs Dennis and Lea had been excavating and installing concrete tunnel liners at a rate of approximately 10 metres (33 ft) per day.^[84] The tunnels are lined with precast concrete liner segments. Six 2.5-tonne (2.8-ton) segments form each ring.

In early December 2014, Dennis and Lea arrived at Eglinton West station.^[85] Dennis stopped to allow Lea to catch up so that they would arrive at Eglinton West station at the same time.

2015

On the weekend of April 18 and 19, 2015, the boring machines, Dennis and Lea, were lifted out of a shaft west of Allen Road and moved about 100 metres (330 ft) to a shaft just east of Allen Road.^[86]

In April 2015, merchants along Eglinton Avenue West were complaining of lost revenue (up to a 35 percent dip in sales), because construction was discouraging customers with snarled traffic, limited parking options, reduced foot traffic and dusty sidewalks.^[87]

By September 2015, the TBMs Don and Humber arrived for assembly in the shaft at Brentcliffe Road before starting to drill the 3.25-kilometre (2.02 mi) section west to Yonge Street.^[77][72]

On September 24, 2015, Transportation MinisterSteven Del Duca issued a statement saying the Crosstown would not operate until September 2021, in order "to mitigate disruption to the local community and infrastructure as much as possible." The earlier plan had been to open in 2020 with tunnelling and station construction to start in 2012.^[88] Infrastructure Ontario has awarded the Crosstown construction contract to Crosslinx, a consortium led by SNC Lavalin. It will take about four years to build the stations, 15 of which will be underground.^[77]

On September 29, 2015, TBM Don started to bore the north tunnel from the Brentcliffe Road launching site westwards towards Yonge Street. TBM Humber will start boring the south tunnel approximately one month later.^[89]

On November 3, 2015, Del Duca announced that the contract awarded to Crosslinx Transit Solutions to complete the Crosstown and maintain it for 30 years will cost $2 billion less than originally estimated.^[9]

2016

On March 10, 2016, a ground-breaking ceremony was held at the site ofKeelesdale station, the first station to be started for construction along the Eglinton Crosstown line.^[90]

In February 2016, work began on the extraction shaft for TBMs Humber and Don, which are digging the eastern segment of the line.^[91] However, the hole in the street there will be much smaller than the one near Leslie Street.^[72]

On April 18, 2016, at the site of the futureForest Hill station, the façade of the former House of Chan restaurant and the scaffolding that was holding it up collapsed, injuring seven people.^[92]

On May 10, TBMs Dennis and Lea, both of which had been boring the western segment of the line, completed their work by reaching Yonge Street.^[93] Dennis and Lea bored 6.4 kilometres (4.0 mi), installing 25,647 precast concrete tunnel segments to construct the 4,279 rings to line the twin tunnels.^[69]

On August 17, TBMs Don and Humber, which had been boring the eastern segment of the line, completed their work by reaching Yonge Street. Don and Humber bored 3.3 kilometres (2.1 mi), installing 26,178 precast concrete tunnel segments to construct the 4,363 rings to line the twin tunnels.^[69]

On September 1, Bombardier Transportation, which is producing cars for the line, failed to meet the delivery deadline for the pilot vehicle.^[94][95] As a result, Metrolinx filed notice to terminate the contract with Bombardier.

On November 3, 2016, Metrolinx filed a "notice of intention" to cancel its contract with Bombardier for the Crosstown's rolling stock.^[94][95][96]

2017

On February 10, 2017, Bombardier filed an injunction, seeking to compel Metrolinx to stick with their contract.^[95][96][97] Metrolinx responded that Bombardier did deliver a prototype for testing, as required by the contract. However, Metrolinx claimed that the prototype was so incomplete that it would not power up.^[98]

Between March 13 and 17, the TBMs Don and Humber were removed in pieces from the extraction shaft on Eglinton Avenue just east of Yonge Street.^[99][100]

In July 2017, construction crews began preparation for constructing the eastern at-grade portion of the line^[101] by removing the median in the roadway.^[102]

On August 9, the first piece of track, aturnout, was installed at theEglinton Maintenance and Storage Facility (EMSF) in Mount Dennis. The facility was scheduled for completion in late 2018^[102] but this date was later revised to early 2019.

2018

In July 2018, Crosslinx Transit Solutions, the construction company building the LRT line, sued Metrolinx, claiming that utility work prior to construction exceeded timelines Metrolinx had specified. Crosslinx sought to extend the 2021 deadline for the opening of the transit line by one year.^[103][104] In August 2018, Metrolinx submitted a filing with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to dismiss the lawsuit. This was based on an agreement with Crosslinx to resolve disputes only after construction has been completed.^[105] The lawsuit was settled by Metrolinx in September 2018 under undisclosed terms.^[106] It was revealed by theAuditor General of Ontario that one of the terms included an additional $237 million to be paid to Crosslinx for an assurance to meet Metrolinx's 2021 deadline.^[107][104]

In October 2018, the Eglinton Maintenance and Storage Facility was substantially complete.^[108]

By December 2018, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) of track had been installed. The line requires 47 kilometres (29 mi) of track in total.^[108]

2019

On January 8, 2019, Bombardier delivered the first Flexity Freedom vehicle to the Eglinton Maintenance and Storage Facility, which, according to Metrolinx, was "substantially complete and ready to receive the vehicles" by this date.^[109]

In January 2019, the first concrete pour for the surface section occurred at the location of the futureO'Connor stop at Eglinton Square. Before being encased in concrete, conduit pipes were laid to support communications and power cables for the Crosstown's stations and stops.^[110]

From July 1 to late August 2019, Leslie Street at Eglinton Avenue was closed for the installation of tracks and infrastructure at the intersection. During this time, the TTC 51 Leslie bus route turned back at Leslie Street and Eglinton Avenue at a temporary bus loop. The temporary closure allowed work to be completed in one section instead of two, thus eliminating joints in the road and track. This provided a higher quality result, reducing future maintenance. The closure also reduced the construction period at the intersection from six months to two.^[111]

In November 2019, Crosslinx informed Metrolinx that it expected the line not to be completed before May 6, 2022, and that the construction costs would total $12.58 billion, an increase of $330 million over previous estimates. The main problems reported were defective caissons (underground watertight compartments) built in the 1950s at Eglinton station, groundwater at the Avenue station site and construction difficulties at the CP Rail / Metrolinx bridge adjacent to the Mount Dennis station.^[112]

On December 14, 2019, testing began between the Eglinton Maintenance and Storage Facility and the Western portal usingFlexity Freedom vehicles, initially testing track clearances at slow speed. On December 17, Crosslinx conducted an inaugural run with staff and guests from the handover platform at the EMSF to the elevated guideway over Black Creek Drive. At that time, overhead wire had been installed between the EMSF to just short of the Keelesdale platform.^[113][114]

2020

By the end of January 2020, Crosslinx had laid 50 percent of the line's track.^[115]

In February 2020, Metrolinx announced that the line would not open until "well into 2022", a delay from the previous target of September 2021.^[116] This was despite Metrolinx reaching a settlement with Crosslinx the previous year, paying the consortium $237 million to commit to a September 2021 deadline.^[112] Metrolinx cited reasons for the delay: Crosslinx had started work nine months late, and had been slow to finalize some aspects of the design. Also, atEglinton station, pipes embedded in concrete built in the 1950s were discovered in a position that impeded excavation for the Crosstown under Line 1 Yonge–University.^[117]

In early March 2020, the provincial government announced it would provide $3 million in aid to local merchants negatively affected by Crosstown construction near their businesses. The Ministry of Transportation and Metrolinx also announced that they would look into an earlier, partial opening of the Crosstown line.^[118]

By March 2020, Crosslinx had installed the first passenger-waiting shelter on the surface section of the line at thePharmacy stop. The shelters were pre-fabricated and hoisted into position on the LRT boarding platform.^[119]

On March 9, 2020, Crosslinx began work to extract tunnel boring machines Dennis and Lea at Duplex Avenue, one block west of Yonge Street.^[119]

On May 4, 2020, Metrolinx reported the first test trip by a light rail vehicle (LRV) in a Line 5 tunnel. The trip was from the maintenance and storage facility to just short of the platform at the underground Keelesdale station. The test run was to check clearances, trackwork, and overhead power and communications; it involved several movements in and out of the tunnel at speeds of up to 25 km/h (16 mph).^[120]

On October 1, 2020, Crosslinx proposed partially opening Line 5 on February 28, 2022, with the Line 5 portion of Eglinton station not opening until May 2022. However, the direct connection for riders transferring between Lines 1 and 5 at Eglinton station would not be completed until September 2022; until then, passengers who wished to transfer would need to exit to the surface and descend by the entrance next door. Crosslinx says defective infrastructure from 1954 at Eglinton station, difficult hydrogeological conditions and theCOVID-19 pandemic had hindered the project.Moody's Investors Service also reported delays at Kennedy, Forest Hill, Mount Pleasant and Cedarvale stations.^[121] On October 8, Crosslinx filed a lawsuit against Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario, claiming $134 million in unexpected costs due to the pandemic. Metrolinx countered that Crosslinx had been falling behind schedule before the pandemic.^[122]

In early December 2020, the first pieces of artwork were being installed at Science Centre and Mount Dennis stations.^[123]

2021

By early April 2021, tracks had been laid on the surface into the Brentcliffe Portal just east of Brentcliffe Road. This location will be the transition between underground and surface running on Line 5 betweenLaird station and the Sunnybrook Park stop.^[124] In addition, as of April 2021, 85 percent of track had been installed along the entire line.^[125]

In April 2021, the last concrete "invert pour" on the line was completed at Eglinton station. The invert pour created the station's base level slab (also called an "invert"), which lies over the "mudslab", a concrete layer that sits on top of the earth.^[126]

On May 3, 2021, Crosslinx energized the overhead catenary system between Laird and Kennedy stations for testing purposes. Traction power substations along the surface route supply electricity to the catenary; there will be 15 such substations.^[127][128]

On May 17, 2021, Crosslinx won a case in Ontario Superior Court against Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario to allow compensation for the extra construction costs and project delays due to the pandemic. The court decision allowed Crosslinx to negotiate with the two provincial agencies for financial compensation and a later completion date. (The completion per the contract was to have been September 2021, later revised to 2022 by Metrolinx.) Crosslinx sought approximately $134 million in compensation for extra safety measures, absenteeism and supply-chain problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[129]

Between May 25 and June 2, 2021, six LRVs were delivered by truck from the Eglinton Maintenance and Storage Facility to Eglinton Avenue East and Rosemount Drive along the eastern end of the line. After unloading, each LRV (powered by the catenary) ran westwards to be stored within the Brentcliffe portal. (Until this point, only the section west from Caledonia station had been operational for testing trains.) Clearance and static testing was scheduled to take place in June with LRVs moving at walking speed.^{[130][131][132]}

Effective June 20, 2021, the TTC renumbered the Avenue Rd bus route from 5 to 13 in order to free up the route number 5 for the Eglinton line.^[133]

By July 2021, 93 percent of the rail had been installed along the line. AtChaplin station, track work was being completed. However, at neighbouringAvenue station, concrete was still being poured in the tunnel at one end of the station box.^[134]

Until late August 2021, Crosslinx had tested the interaction between the vehicles and communications and signal systems east of the Brentcliffe portal. Vehicles ran at slow speeds. On August 24, 2021, Crosslinx started a new phase of testing east of the Brentcliffe portal involving coupled vehicles, increased speed, braking and concurrent vehicle operation.^[135]

By early October 2021, Crosslinx was finishing the trackwork at Eglinton station, which included a crossover.^[136] By November 1, 2021, the last section of track was laid under Yonge Street at Eglinton station, making the rails continuous between Mount Dennis and Kennedy stations. Full completion of the catenary, signals and the communication system was not expected until 2022.^[137]

In November 2021, an LRV travelled from the EMSF to Laird station under its own power at slow speed in order to test clearances and systems along the way; the section between Laird and Fairbank stations had limited power. Then, the three coupled pairs of LRVs stored at Laird station were driven back to the EMSF for maintenance and replaced by two trains for further testing of the line east of Laird station.^[138]

By December 2021, Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario had come to a settlement with Crosslinx to pay the consortium an extra $325 million to handle additional costs due the COVID-19 pandemic and due to an unexpected obstruction at Eglinton station that was impeding construction. The line was expected to be substantially complete by September 2022 but possibly not be open until 2023.^[17]

2022

By late February 2022, the last signal to control LRT train movements along the line was installed in the tunnel at Laird station.^[139]

In March 2022, Metrolinx announced that all 76 of the light rail vehicles had been brought together at the Eglinton Maintenance and Storage Facility, the fleet's final deliveries having arrived in 2021.^[140]

In July 2022, Metrolinx started to test three-car trains together with the train control system along the line. Three cars is the maximum train length for the line and can carry up to 490 passengers.^[141]

In late September 2022, Metrolinx announced that Crosslinx was behind schedule and thus Line 5 would not be completed by year-end as was previously expected. Metrolinx did not provide a revised completion date.^[18] However,CBC Toronto cited an unnamed source with knowledge of the project who stated that Line 5 would likely be delayed a year, until September 2023. The completion of underground stations was behind schedule, particularly at Eglinton station where tunnelling under Line 1 was difficult.^[14]

According to an internal Metrolinx report from September 2022, Crosslinx had expected to complete the project by March 2023, but Metrolinx felt that date to be unrealistic. Metrolinx blamed Crosslinx and old infrastructure at Eglinton station for project delays. Metrolinx also had complaints about deficiencies in work completed. Crosslinx had over $260 million in outstanding claims against Metrolinx.^[8]

In December, CBC Toronto obtained confidential documents from Metrolinx which indicated that the company did not believe Crosslinx had a "credible plan" to complete the line. The records stated that 98 percent of construction and engineering work was completed at the time of their writing, while only 79 percent of track and train testing had been completed.^[8]

2023

In February 2023, Crosslinx reported it had made good progress at Eglinton station, but some utility and road restoration work still needed to be done. By April 2023, Metrolinx had not given a project status update to the public since September 2022. Documents obtained by theToronto Star indicated the silence from Metrolinx was at the direction of the provincial government.^[142]

In late April 2023, construction crews started to remove the platform at theSloane stop due to uneven concrete, which was causing water to pool on the platform. Replacement of the platform (built in 2020) would take one month of work, and Metrolinx said that Crosslinx would be responsible for the cost.^[143]

On April 26, 2023, Brian Lilley of theToronto Sun cited unnamed sources in government and industry who indicated that Line 5 would not open until 2024 at the earliest.^[144] A day later, Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster gave a status report but gave no completion date. The project had 260 non-conformance issues for Crosslinx to fix. The major problem identified was improperly laid tracks in tunnels that might be only a few millimetres out of gauge but could result in a derailment. Testing was only 50 percent complete. Training of TTC staff to operate the line would not start until the line was fully ready.^[145]

On May 14, 2023, the TTC opened the northern platform extension at Eglinton station along Line 1 Yonge–University so that Line 1 trains stop 24 metres (79 ft) further north. Upon Line 5's opening, the northern extension would offer riders a more convenient transfer between trains on Lines 1 and 5. The southern end of the original platform is closed off from trains but is still publicly accessible from the centre of the island platform to allow for access to the elevator.^[146]

On May 16, 2023, Metrolinx announced that Crosslinx intended to sue the provincial agency and also to cease working with the TTC on the project. Crosslinx claimed that changes requested by the TTC were creating project delays and extra costs and that this resulted from a lack of a signed operating agreement between Metrolinx and the TTC. Crosslinx wanted the courts to remove its obligation to work on the project while issues with Metrolinx and the TTC remained unresolved. On the same day, Verster confirmed the line would not open until sometime in 2024.^[19]

On September 27, 2023, Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster announced he would not give an estimated opening date for Line 5 until after "high-risk testing and commissioning work is completed". At the time of the announcement, there were about 200 unresolved defects on the project.^[20]

On December 8, 2023, Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster again refused to provide any estimated opening date, saying that the date would be announced three months before opening. Crosslinx president Bill Gifford said a key piece of work could not be done in the winter months. By December 2023, 15.3 percent of the integration testing had been completed. Ten test trains were operating along the line, but testing would require increased train frequencies of 3 to 5 minutes. Training of TTC operators was 12 percent complete.^[21] In December 2023, for budget purposes, the TTC made the assumption that Line 5 would open no earlier than September 2024.^[147]

2024 and 2025

On March 25, 2024, Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster stated that all major construction had been completed but that the most serious obstacle remaining was defects in software for the signalling and train control system.^[148] The software defects were corrected with the sixth version of the software tested in April and May 2024.^[149]

A Metrolinx report dated June 27, 2024, indicated that construction had been completed for 14 of the 15 stations along the line. Eglinton station was the only station where work was outstanding due to its complexity. By June 2024, 17 TTC staff had been trained as instructors. It was planned they would, in turn, train 110 operators.^[149]

By early October 2024, Metrolinx stated that Line 5 would not open in 2024, but would give three months notice of its opening.^[22] On December 4, 2024, CouncillorJamaal Myers, chairman of the TTC board, stated that the TTC does not expect Line 5 to open before June 1, 2025, at the earliest. Myers also said he had no confirmation from Metrolinx as to whether that date was realistic. As of 2025, training of TTC operators had not been completed, and a 30-day test period of non-revenue service had not started.^[23]

In March 2025, two anonymous sources told theToronto Star that the line is expected to open in September 2025. One remarked upon the possibility of "an eleventh-hour problem" due to Metrolinx's lack of transparency regarding the construction and testing of the project.^[150]

The delivery strategy from Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario includes five separate contracts: a first advance tunnel between Renforth Drive and Scarlett Road; a second advance tunnel between Jane Street and Mount Dennis station; an elevated guideway between Scarlett Road and Jane Street; stations, rail and systems for the entire LRT; and the airport segment.

On March 10, 2020, Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for the construction of tunnels, marking the first phase of procurement of the western Eglinton extension.^[151] On May 20, 2021, the design–build–finance contract was awarded to West End Connectors (a consortium ofDragados,Aecon andGhella).^[152]

The contract included the design, construction and financing of:^[11]

• 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) of tunnels between Renforth Drive and Scarlett Road
• Advance civil engineering work (including headwalls for future construction of emergency exit buildings and stations)
• Activities necessary to build the tunnel (e.g. utility relocations, supports for shaft and headwalls, temporary power supply, lighting, ventilation, and drainage)

On April 11, 2022, tunnelling began from the launch shaft located adjacent to Renforth station;^[11] two tunnel-boring machines (TBM), dubbed Rexy and Renny, will tunnel 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) eastwards to the west side of Scarlett Road, where the extraction shaft will be located. Each TBM weighs about 750 tonnes (740 long tons; 830 short tons), and are 6.58 metres (21.6 ft) in diameter and 131 metres (430 ft) in length. The tunnels will be 20 metres (66 ft) underground. The underground stations will be built using the cut-and-cover method.^[11] Renny started boring in April 2022 but Rexy started later, in early August, as the launch area was only large enough to launch one TBM at a time. The extraction shaft will be near the west side of Scarlett Road.^[153]

In December 2021, Metrolinx issued a pre-qualification request for adesign–build contract to build a 1.5-kilometre (0.93 mi) elevated guideway from the portal west of Scarlett Road to the portal east of Jane Street. This elevated guideway will connect both advance tunnel contracts and will take the line over the Humber River.^[154] On December 15, 2023, the contract was awarded to Aecon, with construction of the guideway to begin sometime in 2024.^[155]

On December 2, 2021, Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario issued the request for qualification (RFQ) for the construction of tunnels between Jane Street and Mount Dennis station. On February 16, 2024, the contract was awarded toStrabag.^[156] The contract includes the design and construction of a 500-metre (1,600 ft) tunnel from east of Jane Street to Mount Dennis station, as well as modifications to the station to enable through service.^[156]

On March 25, 2024, Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario issued an RFQ for the stations, rails and systems contract.^[157] This design–build contract will involve:^[158]

• Construction of seven stations between Mount Dennis and Renforth (four underground, two elevated, and one at grade)
• 9.2-kilometre (5.7 mi) installation of rail track, signalling and train control systems, electrification, communications and other equipment
• Testing and commissioning of the line following construction

On September 27, 2024, Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario issued an RFP to the following teams: Integrated Transit Partners (Sacyr, NGE,Siemens, Hatch,Egis, WWP); Trillium Rail Partners (Amico, Alberici,Acciona,WSP); and WestEx Transit Solutions (Aecon,AtkinsRéalis, Pomerleau,Dragados,Arcadis). The successful proponent will be invited into a 2-year design development phase with Metrolinx, anticipated to begin in mid-2025 so as to finalize pricing, scheduling, and scoping to reduce the risk of the project before major construction begins.

A further extension would take the line toToronto Pearson International Airport. As of March 2024^[update], the route for this extension has not been finalized, with a conceptual route heading north, crossingHighway 401, then followingHighway 427 north before turning west towards the airport terminals.^[159] Metrolinx is working with theGreater Toronto Airports Authority on the project.^[160][161] The initial business case indicates intermediate stations at Convair and Silver Dart, with the terminus at Pearson Airport's planned Regional Transit Hub.^[162][163]

Line 5 Eglinton will mostly rununderground for 21 km (13 mi) from Renforth Drive to just east of Don Mills Road, withelevated sections across theHumber River andBlack Creek valleys, as well as short at-grade sections at Renforth and Sunnybrook Park. East of Don Mills Road, it rises to the surface to continue another 6 km (3.7 mi) to end at Kennedy station.^[164][165] The central section will have 46.6 kilometres (29.0 mi) of track, including six doublecrossovers, five mono-directional crossovers and threepocket tracks.^[125] Additional crossovers for west extension will be located west of Jane station and east ofRenforth station. When the line is extended further west to the airport, there will be an additional crossover on the west side of Renforth station. Both Jane and Renforth stations will have pocket tracks.^[166]

Parts of the surface route will use "green track", that is, track with vegetation growing beside and between the rails. Green track will be used between the Brentcliffe Road tunnel portal (western end of the surface route) and Birchmount Road (Birchmount stop in the east end) with paved gaps at intersections, surface stops and the underground Science Centre station.^[167] Each section of green track will have irrigation chambers, a water supply, and an energy source for the irrigation system. Green track will dampen train sounds, absorb runoff water, reduce ambient temperatures in summer and minimize the spread of dust.^[168]

Surface stops will be located at accessible, signalized intersections, and will have a transparent design for passenger security. Platforms will have a signpost bearing the stop's name, a barrier along the road to protect waiting passengers,Presto machines, screens displaying the next vehicle arrival time and advertising, platform illumination and covered waiting shelters with benches and a passenger assistance intercom. The platforms will be designed for level boarding.^[169][170]

Schematic map of Line 5 Eglinton (orange; with thin line representing street-running sections), including the later westerly extension to Renforth (dark orange). Also shown are portions of theScarborough Subway Extension (dark green) north and east ofKennedy, theOntario Line (blue), and the formerLine 3 Scarborough (dashed grey), which was decommissioned in 2023.

Station/stop[171]	Type	Notes
Under construction (phase 1)
Mount Dennis	Surface	Located east ofWeston Road; direct connection toKitchener line,Union Pearson Express
Keelesdale	Underground	Located atKeele Street
Caledonia	Underground	Future connection toBarrie line; indirect connection toBeltline Trail
Fairbank	Underground	Located atDufferin Street
Oakwood	Underground
Cedarvale (Eglinton West)	Underground	Connection to Yonge–University at the existing Eglinton West station, to be renamed Cedarvale when Line 5 opens[172]
Forest Hill	Underground	Located atBathurst Street
Chaplin	Underground	Indirect connection toBeltline Trail
Avenue	Underground	Located atAvenue Road
Eglinton	Underground	Located atYonge Street; connection to Yonge–University
Mount Pleasant	Underground	Located at Mount Pleasant Road
Leaside	Underground	Located atBayview Avenue
Laird	Underground
Sunnybrook Park	On-street	Parallel side platforms located atLeslie Street[173]
Science Centre	Underground	Located at Don Mills Road; future connection toOntario Line
Aga Khan Park & Museum	On-street	Parallel side platforms located on the west side of theDon Valley Parkway, near its namesakeAga Khan Park andAga Khan Museum.[174]
Wynford	On-street	Parallel side platforms located in theDon Mills neighbourhood just west of the bridge over Wynford Drive[175]
Sloane	On-street	Centre platform located in theVictoria Village neighbourhood at Bermondsey Road and Sloane Avenue.[176]
O'Connor	On-street	Parallel side platforms located in theGolden Mile neighbourhood betweenVictoria Park Avenue and Eglinton Square.[177]
Pharmacy	On-street	Parallel side platforms located in the Golden Mile neighbourhood at Pharmacy Avenue[178]
Hakimi Lebovic	On-street	Far-side platforms located in the Golden Mile neighbourhood at Hakimi and Lebovic Avenues.[179]
Golden Mile	On-street	Far-side platforms located in the Golden Mile neighbourhood at Warden Avenue.[180]
Birchmount	On-street	Parallel side platforms located in theIonview neighbourhood atBirchmount Road[181]
Ionview	On-street	Parallel side platforms located at Ionview Road[182]
Kennedy	Underground	Connection to Bloor–Danforth andKennedy GO Station forStouffville line
Under construction (phase 2)
Renforth	Open trench	Located on the north side of the existingbus rapid transit station at the eastern terminus of theMississauga Transitway
Martin Grove	Underground	Located on north side of Eglinton at the northeast corner with Martin Grove Road
Kipling	Underground	Located under Eglinton on the west side of Kipling Avenue with an entrance at the northwest corner and an emergency exit at the west end of the platform
Islington	Underground	Located on north side of Eglinton at the northeast corner with Islington Avenue
Royal York	Underground	Located on north side of Eglinton at the northwest corner with Royal York Road
Scarlett	Elevated	Located on north side of Eglinton above Scarlett Road
Jane	Elevated	Located on north side of Eglinton above Jane Street

In the planning stages for Line 5 Eglinton, many stations and stops were given working names identical or similar to names of existing subway stations orGO Transit stations within Toronto. On November 23, 2015, a report to the TTC Board recommended giving a unique name to each station within the subway system, including those on Line 5. Thus, several stations with non-unique working names were renamed mostly after the neighbourhoods these stations serve, even those which will be comparatively simple on-street surface stops: Weston (renamed Mount Dennis), Keele (Keelesdale), Dufferin (Fairbank), Bathurst (Forest Hill), Oriole Park (Avenue), Bayview (Leaside), Leslie (Sunnybrook Park), Don Mills (Science Centre), Victoria Park (O'Connor) and Warden (Golden Mile).^[183]

There were other name changes for on-street stops even though the original names did not conflict with existing station names. The Aga Khan Park & Museum stop was originally named Ferrand after the nearby Ferrand Drive.^[184][174] Sloane was originally intended to be named Bermondsey but was given the name Sloane.

The Hakimi Lebovic stop was originally named Lebovic. Metrolinx changed the name after the TTC noted Hakimi Avenue led to more prominent locations such asCentennial College while support for the Lebovic name remained.^[172][185] Metrolinx later named the station in honour of both businessmen Joe Lebovic andKarim Hakimi, whom the streets are named after.^[186]

Despite its unique name, Eglinton West station will be renamed Cedarvale after its surrounding neighbourhood to avoid confusion with Eglinton station.^[187][172] Eglinton station is not expected to be renamed "Eglinton–Yonge" (as was the case withSheppard–Yonge station, which was named "Sheppard" beforeLine 4 Sheppard opened) given that Eglinton station is located inthe former village of Eglinton.^[188]

As of 2025, alternate names for stations along the under-construction western extension at cross streets (Kipling Avenue,Islington Avenue,Royal York Road,Jane Street, and Martin Grove Road) that conflict with the names of existing or unopened stations or stops on Line 2 Bloor–Danforth and Line 6 Finch West have not yet been announced.

Since the permanent closure of theOntario Science Centre's original main location in Don Mills in June 2024, there has been discussion about renaming Science Centre station.^[189][190]

As part of the Crosstown project, six stations along Line 5 Eglinton – Mount Dennis,Caledonia,Cedarvale (Eglinton West), Eglinton,Science Centre andKennedy – will feature eight artworks. These stations were chosen because they are all interchange stations expected to host higher passenger volumes.^[191] Some of the other stations feature other artwork, such as a photograph ofpick-up sticks on a white background atOakwood station.

All artworks will be integrated into station design and construction rather than being stand-alone pieces. Because of the controversy surrounding the artworkLightSpell at Line 1'sPioneer Village station, in which commuters could have displayed inappropriate messages that violate TTC By-Law No. 1, none of the Line 5 artworks will be interactive. The art budget is about $10 million. About $1 million of that budget will be used for digital art to appear on screens at stations along the line.^[191]

Operating characteristics of the line include:

• There will be three types of train control on the line.Automatic train control (ATC) without a driver onboard is used within the Eglinton Maintenance and Storage Facility. In the underground segment between Mount Dennis and Laird stations, a driver will operate train doors and push a button to depart a station, with ATC controlling the train until the next station. Between Laird and Kennedy stations, the driver controls all train functions.^[192][193]
• On the surface, the line will have dedicated right-of-way transit lanes separate from regular traffic^[26] and usage of priority signalling at intersections to ensure certainty in travel times – unlike thestreetcars in downtown Toronto and southern Etobicoke oron St. Clair Avenue inmidtown Toronto.^[170]
• Light rail vehicles and subways can both travel up to 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph). However, actual speed is determined by the spacing of the stops and the dwell times at stops. Line 5 vehicles will have an average speed of 28 kilometres per hour (17 mph). As a comparison, the average speed of theLine 2 Bloor–Danforth subway is 32 kilometres per hour (20 mph).^[194] The maximum operating speed will be 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph) on the tunnelled portion of the line and 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph) on the street-level sections.^[5]
• The projected ridership of the line is 5,400 passengers per hour in the peak direction by 2031, but the capacity of the vehicles is 15,000 passengers per hour per direction.^[26]
• The surface section of the line will run on aproof-of-payment system but the underground stations will have subway-type fare gates and staff;Presto cards will be available for use across the entire line.^[195]
• Metrolinx requires 76Flexity Freedom LRVs to operate the line.^[196]
• Annual operating and maintenance costs are estimated to be $80 million upon opening of the line. However, fare revenue and the costs saved by eliminating Eglinton bus service would result in a net annual cost of $39 million.^[197]
• There will a total of 12crossovers along the line to reverse LRT trains—seven at underground stations and five on the surface section. Avenue and Laird stations will also have astorage track (with Laird having both) that trains can enter and exit in either direction. The storage tracks will accommodate a train in case of an emergency or change in service as well as allowing for a change of direction.^[101]
• Line 5 will use a guideway intrusion detection system (GIDS) to detect trespassers on the tracks on the underground sections of the line. When GIDS detects a trespasser on the tracks, it will issue an audio warning to the trespasser, provide live CCTV video to central control, and automatically stop the train without driver intervention. Each station will have ten GIDS scanners, five on each side of the platform. There will also be GIDS scanners at each tunnel portal. In addition, there will be three scanners within the yellow tactile strips at each platform edge to issue an audio warning if a person steps on it before the train has arrived.^[198]

As the line is owned by the province of Ontario, Metrolinx chose the BombardierFlexity Freedomlight rail vehicle, which usesstandard gauge rather than theTTC's own slightly larger gauge. Metrolinx wanted to avoid using a custom gauge in order to secure a better price from the manufacturer and to create a standard for other light-rail projects in the province.^[199] The vehicles have an operator's cab at only one end of the vehicle; thus, the LRVs must be run in back-to-back coupled pairs.^[200] Trains will useautomatic train control within the tunnelled portion of the line.^[192] Like theFlexity Outlook vehicles Bombardier built for theTTC's streetcar system, initial work building the chassis was performed at Bombardier's Mexican plant inCiudad Sahagún,Hidalgo, with final assembly at Bombardier's plant inThunder Bay.^[201]

In 2010, Metrolinx ordered 182 Flexity Freedom vehicles not only for Line 5 but for other light-rail projects in Ontario. The first two deliveries were expected in the second quarter of 2015 but had not arrived by May 2017. After being unsure if a timely delivery of the Bombardier vehicle order could be relied upon, Metrolinx reduced the Bombardier order from 182 to 76 to supply just Line 5 and made a contingency order withAlstom for 61Citadis Spirit vehicles, of which 44 would be for Line 5 and the remaining 17 forLine 6 Finch West.^[202] If the Flexity Freedom order did arrive after all, surplus Alstom vehicles would be used on other Metrolinx projects (most likely theHurontario LRT in Mississauga inPeel Region).^[203][204] On October 30, 2018, Bombardier announced that the first Flexity Freedom vehicle had completed its in-house testing and would be delivered for on-site testing in Toronto in November 2018.^[205] However, the first vehicle arrived late, on January 8, 2019.^[109] As a commissioning test, each vehicle must travel at least 600 km (370 mi) before accepting passengers.^[114]

A maintenance and storage facility is required for Line 5, given the new technology employed, track gauge and the number of vehicles ordered. The Eglinton Maintenance and Storage Facility will have storage for 162 Flexity Freedom LRT vehicles and have extensive maintenance facilities to keep them running smoothly.^[206] The facility is being built near the line's western terminus at Mount Dennis station on lands formerly occupied byKodak'sToronto campus^{[207][208][209]} and near the Mount Dennis bus garage.

Under MayorJohn Tory, Toronto City Council approved an eastern extension for Line 5 Eglinton on March 31, 2016,^[13] and it is a City of Toronto project still in the proposal stage. However, since May 2022^[update], the Eglinton East LRT has become a proposal for a separate line rather than an extension of Line 5.^{[210]: 1, 2}

Between 2016 and 2021, the City of Toronto proposed that the Eglinton East LRT (EELRT) be an eastward extension of Line 5 Eglinton, extending from Kennedy station toMalvern Town Centre via Eglinton Avenue East, Kingston Road and Morningside Avenue. By 2022, the city had decided that the EELRT would be a separate, independent line with no rail connection to Line 5 at Kennedy station. Unlike Line 5 Eglinton and its western extension, which are Metrolinx projects, the EELRT is aCity of Toronto project.^[210]

By 2022, city planning staff had concluded a through-service connection with Line 5 at Kennedy station was not feasible as an EELRT tunnel would be only 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) above the SSE tunnel at Kennedy station, and the SSE tunnel structure would not be strong enough to safely support an EELRT tunnel above it.^[211]: 24 As a separate line, the EELRT would use trains 50 metres (160 ft) long or less. The EELRT would use its own distinct vehicles (i.e. different from those used on Line 5 Eglinton) in order to better adapt to the line's conditions: no running in tunnels, shorter trains and platforms, and a better ability to climb steeper grades to avoid expensive road infrastructure changes that would otherwise be required if the EELRT were a Line 5 extension.^[210]: 8 It would also connect withLine 2 again at Sheppard Avenue East and McCowan Road.

• Jane LRT
• Urban rail transit in Canada

Wikimedia Commons has media related toLine 5 Eglinton.

• Eglinton CrosstownArchived April 27, 2015, at theWayback Machine, official project website for the line east of Mt. Dennis
• Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, official project website for the extension west of Mt. Dennis
• Toronto Light Rail Transit projects (Metrolinx)Archived November 23, 2018, at theWayback Machine
• "TTC map showing proposed bus routes after the Eglinton Crosstown opens"(PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. February 25, 2016. p. 5. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on August 18, 2021.

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