Finch West LRT, Toronto’s newest transit line, is officially open

For the first time in two decades, commuters have a new transit line in Toronto as the Finch West LRT carried its first passengers on Sunday.

The 10.3-kilometre, 18-stop line runs along Finch Avenue West between Finch West Station on Line 1 Yonge-University and Humber Polytechnic’s North Campus, providing connections to several of the other regional transit agencies.

“Not only is it so important for Toronto riders, but I think this is so important from a regional perspective,” said Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria ahead of the ceremonial first run. “Mississauga Transit, Brampton Transit, York Regional Transit – every single one of them is going to connect into this system and truly transform, from a regional perspective, how we get around this city and this province.”

The line was first proposed in 2007 but was delayed by years of political debates, changes in funding and repeated construction setbacks, which generated criticism from locals in the area. Construction on the LRT broke ground in 2019, and it was originally slated to open in 2023.

A report by Metrolinx earlier this fall said the line’s total cost was $3.7 billion, including life cycle, operating and maintenance costs, putting the project above the initial $2.5 billion estimate.

TTC Chair and City Councillor Jamaal Myers says despite the years of construction and issues faced by communities along the route, it was worth the wait.

“I think this will have a huge impact on transit service in northwest Toronto. We were just at Humber (College) on Friday with some of the dignitaries for the inaugural ride, and just seeing how many students are at that campus, I think this is going to have a huge impact, especially for people in Jane-Finch.”

First day rides along the new transit route are free, and commuters will have the opportunity to collect some Line 6 souvenirs, including ride guides, vehicle cutouts and commemorative coins.

The line will operate under “soft opening” hours at least until the spring, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays, with shuttle buses filling the gap between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m.

Trains will arrive every six and a half minutes during the weekday morning and afternoon rush hours and 10 to 12 minutes at all other times.

Onboard fare payment is not yet available on Line 6 vehicles, meaning riders will have to pay on the platform with Presto, credit or debit cards. There will also be a single-ride vending machine for those paying cash.

With the opening of Line 6, the focus now turns to the much-maligned Eglinton Crosstown LRT, which cleared another milestone on Friday as independent engineers verified the line is now ready for service and that the TTC has assumed “full operational control.”

It will now be up to the transit agency to determine an opening date, which now seems destined for 2026. Once open, Line 5 will be under similar operating restrictions as the Finch West line, at least until the spring.

Construction of the Eglinton Crosstown began in 2011 and was supposed to open in 2020, but it has been repeatedly pushed back due to various legal, construction and testing issues along with COVID-19-related delays.

With files from Nick Westoll, Meredith Bond and Rhianne Campbell