Latest news with #EglintonCrosstown

CTV News
17-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Ontario doubles down on September opening for Eglinton LRT despite TTC calling timeline ‘a reach'
Former interim TTC CEO Greg Percy says a September opening of the Crosstown Eglinton LRT is 'a reach.' The possibility that the long awaited Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open this September is now being considered 'a reach' by the TTC's former interim CEO. Greg Percy made the comments during a Toronto Transit Commission board meeting on Thursday in response to a question from Toronto-St. Paul's Coun. Josh Matlow. 'Is there any prospect of a full handover by September, or is there a legitimate concern that (Metrolinx) may fail to provide us a line that is ready to operationalize by September?,' Matlow asked. 'I think September is a reach,' Percy responded. 'But, this fall is plausible, and certainly by year end. There's lots and lots of stuff going on that we need to fix to open safely, and that's what we're focused on.' In April, Matlow told CP24 that he believed the LRT would open by September, and Premier Doug Ford echoed those statements in June. The Ontario Ministry of Transportation doubled down in a statement to CP24 on Thursday saying, 'In June we formally transferred operations of the line to the TTC. As we have said, we are targeting September for an opening date.' Metrolinx also pointed to a September opening in a statement on Thursday, writing, 'All civil infrastructure for the project is now complete, operator driver training is now complete and in June we formally transferred operations of the line to the TTC's command centre at Hillcrest.' 'We are currently relentlessly stress testing the system to ensure it is safe and reliable on the day it opens.' At Thursday's meeting, Percy said that the decision on opening the line falls with Metrolinx. 'It's still a Metrolinx decision,' said Percy. 'There's a number of us that are deeply involved in this and to push it over the line we're working intimately closely with Metrolinx. We're looking at still this fall to get something happening.' 'We are collaborating with the same priorities of safety and customer experience, and we won't open until it is satisfying both.' In a statement to CP24, the TTC says, 'Our CEO Mandeep Lali and Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay spoke last week and are committed to working together to open Line 5 as soon as it is ready for safe and reliable operations.' 'We have several phases of testing and commissioning to complete in advance of that, as has been previously outlined. The province will ultimately announce the opening date.' Construction on the Crosstown LRT began in 2011 and the nearly-$13 billion line was originally expected to be complete by 2020.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bad news, commuters: the Eglinton Crosstown LRT may be delayed again
The Eglinton Crosstown LRT opening date may be delayed again. At Thursday's TTC board meeting, Coun. Josh Matlow asked outgoing TTC interim CEO Greg Percy if the long-delayed light rail transit line would be ready to open this September. "We're looking at still this fall to get something happening," answered Percy. "I think September is a reach, but this fall is plausible and certainly by year-end." Ontario Premier Doug Ford said last month that the Eglinton Crosstown light rail transit line was on track to open this September. The 25-stop line was initially set to open in 2020, but a series of technical problems and associated cost overruns have plagued the project and repeatedly delayed its completion. Construction on the line began in 2011. TTC took control from Metrolinx on the Eglinton Crosstown last month. Metrolix CEO Michael Lindsay said at the time that the system and vehicles were being "relentlessly" stress tested. Percy said Thursday that the decision on the opening date still falls with Metrolinx. He said safety and customer experience are key issues, and that the TTC won't open it until "it is satisfying both." After serving as TTC's interim CEO for almost a year, Percy will be replaced by the transit agency's new CEO, Mandeep Lali. On Tuesday, Lali told CBC Radio's Metro Morning that his first priority after assuming the role earlier this month is to increase reliability for the transit agency. He called the position a "once in a lifetime opportunity in terms of what's happening here in Toronto." "If you look at the two brand new lines coming on board, where in the world are you seeing that kind of level of construction and development?" he said, referring to the Eglinton Crosstown and Finch West LRT.


CBC
17-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Bad news, commuters: the Eglinton Crosstown LRT may be delayed again
The Eglinton Crosstown LRT opening date may be delayed again. At Thursday's TTC board meeting, Coun. Josh Matlow asked outgoing TTC interim CEO Greg Percy if the long-delayed light rail transit line would be ready to open this September. "We're looking at still this fall to get something happening," answered Percy. "I think September is a reach, but this fall is plausible and certainly by year-end." Ontario Premier Doug Ford said last month that the Eglinton Crosstown light rail transit line was on track to open this September. The 25-stop line was initially set to open in 2020, but a series of technical problems and associated cost overruns have plagued the project and repeatedly delayed its completion. Construction on the line began in 2011. TTC took control from Metrolinx on the Eglinton Crosstown last month. Metrolix CEO Michael Lindsay said at the time that the system and vehicles were being "relentlessly" stress tested. Percy said Thursday that the decision on the opening date still falls with Metrolinx. He said safety and customer experience are key issues, and that the TTC won't open it until "it is satisfying both." After serving as TTC's interim CEO for almost a year, Percy will be replaced by the transit agency's new CEO, Mandeep Lali. On Tuesday, Lali told CBC Radio's Metro Morning that his first priority after assuming the role earlier this month is to increase reliability for the transit agency. He called the position a "once in a lifetime opportunity in terms of what's happening here in Toronto." Eglinton Crosstown and Finch West LRT.


CBC
15-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Meet the TTC's new CEO 2 minutes ago Duration 10:33
With the Eglinton Crosstown and Finch West LRT both over budget and overdue, new TTC CEO Mandeep Lali spoke on Metro Morning about his mission to increase safety and reliability for the transit agency.

CTV News
27-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
When will the Eglinton Crosstown LRT open? Place your bets
"Out of Service" signs are shown on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT in Toronto on Friday, May 5, 2023. Nearly 15 years after construction began, there's a possibility the long-awaited Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open this coming September. If you'd like to place your bets on that, you actually can. Online sportsbook FanDuel has a novelty betting offer on when the Eglinton LRT will be open. 'At FanDuel, our team of dedicated Canadian Traders are on the ground building novelty markets that touch on the most topical storylines across sports, entertainment, local news and pop culture,' the FanDuel Canada Trading Team told CP24 in a statement. 'Our goal is to engage in the conversations our customers are already having, offering odds on the moments that resonate.' The site has been taking wagers for a month now and following last week's announcement from Metrolinx about the current timeline for the Crosstown LRTs opening, it has seen a surge of activity. 'We have seen increasing interest in this market with 35 per cent of all bets being placed this week,' FanDuel Canada said. The top two most popular opening timelines receiving bets are 'On or after November 1st' and 'Before or on August 31st.' If correct, bettors will earn +550 for the former or +1100 for the later. The favourite however—at +195—is for the LRT to launch between Sept. 16 and Sept. 20 There are three other dates available to wager on as well. LRT bets Online sportsbook FanDuel has a novelty betting offer on when the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will be open. 'At FanDuel, we are committed to promoting responsible gaming, ensuring that our customers can enjoy these unique betting opportunities with responsible play in mind. That is why our novelty markets, including the Eglinton LRT market, carry low bet limit restrictions.' Construction on the Crosstown began in 2011 and the nearly-$13 billion line was originally expected to be complete by 2020.