Humber College station construction mostly done, but Finch West LRT opening date unclear

As officials mark the completion of major construction at the future Finch West LRT Humber College station, the projected timeframe for opening is still unclear as an end-of-year goal for beginning operations gets closer.

In a post on X Thursday morning, Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria shared a 75-second promotional video at the station to promote the latest milestone on the 11-kilometre, 18-stop line.

“All major construction is now complete and light rail vehicles are being tested so we can get commuters where they’re going quickly and safely,” he said without mentioning when the Finch West LRT line might open.

Some X users responded by asking about the opening date. When asked for updates on the completion of major construction elsewhere along the line and the timelines for the remaining milestones, a spokesperson for Sarkaria reiterated the project is still in the “testing and commissioning” phase.

“Residents will notice that vehicles are completing test runs along Finch Avenue West before the line’s official opening, which we will be announced in due course,” Dakota Brasier wrote in a brief statement.

A timeline for the remaining elements of the project wasn’t provided.

CityNews went to Humber College station and travelled along the rest of the line to check out progress since visiting at the end of 2023.

While work appeared to be mostly done at the station, outside landscaping and sidewalk finishing work still needed to be done. Crews have also completed a large amount of asphalt resurfacing on newly redesigned roads, but there are still portions of Finch Avenue West that need top coats of asphalt.

Across the route, platform canopies and final finishes have been installed at the 16 street-level platforms. At the beginning of the year, crews were able to run light rail vehicles end to end. During our visit Friday evening, crews could be seen working on a segment of rail near Tobermory Drive.

Road resurfacing and sidewalk installation are done on a large majority of the route alignment, but there are still segments that need attention.

Crews have caught up on construction near Weston Roadafter CityNews last visited in December. Officials cited utilities issues here. pic.twitter.com/YXIjYcoa8c

— Nick Westoll (@NWestoll) September 1, 2024

Throughout the project, the most delayed area has been a one-kilometre section of Finch Avenue West between Signet Drive and Arrow Road on the east and west of Weston Road by Lindylou Park. Officials attributed this to complex infrastructure issues around the rail bridge and near the park.

Since our visit in December, sidewalks have been poured west of Weston Road and the road has been paved. However, east of Weston Road, sidewalk and path work had slowed down with rough paths and unfinished roads still remaining in this section of the route.

At the eastern end of the route outside Finch West subway station at Keele Street and Finch Avenue West, the new LRT line station building appeared to be in the final stage of construction and most of the finishing work in the intersection was done. It had a larger blocked-off area than outside Humber College station and the south end of the property still appeared to be used as a staging area for construction.

As part of a five-part series looking at transit expansion projects in the Greater Toronto Area, CityNews spoke with the head of rapid transit capital projects for Metrolinx — the provincial government agency overseeing the private-sector consortium building the line.

The Finch West LRT, which saw its tendering process start in 2015 under the previous provincial government, was supposed to be done by the end of 2023. That goal was then pushed back to the first half of 2024 before being extended to the end of the year. The budget for constructing the line, buying 18 trains and providing maintenance for 30 years is $3.4 billion.

“We’re still working with TTC on what a realistic schedule is to actually open the line and so I would say mid-next year looks good right now, but there’s still a long way to go on testing, commissioning,” Andrew Hope told CityNews last December.

“Very confident we’ll have the line open by the end of 2024 at this point.

“Obviously (it’s) a bit of an unpredictable process. We’re trying to make sure everything works and if there’s anything wrong, we have to fix it. That’s the process over the next six months, but it’s looking very good from where we stand right now.”

As many wait for the opening date to be announced, it could follow similar timelines imposed for the 13-year Eglinton Crosstown LRT project. Metrolinx president and CEO Phil Verster repeatedly said he wouldn’t announce an opening until three months before it’s ready.

At the eastern end of the line, a majority of the work at Keele Street and Finch Avenue West appears to be done with some finishing work still needed. Beside the new Finch West station building, there is still a large plot of empty land. A large area remains fenced off outside. pic.twitter.com/FhiT8C2mjK

— Nick Westoll (@NWestoll) September 1, 2024

All major construction at Finch West LRT Humber College Station is complete!

This new station has direct access to Humber College and is only a short walk from Etobicoke General Hospital!

Under the leadership of Premier @fordnation, we are delivering reliable, affordable and… pic.twitter.com/LzXczMS0hh

— Prabmeet Sarkaria (@PrabSarkaria) August 29, 2024