Yonge-University-Spadina - Future Expansion - Spadina Extension

Spadina Extension

Construction has begun on an extension to York University northwest of Downsview Station, and into the city of Vaughan to the proposed Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Six new stations are planned along the 8.6 km (5.3 mi) route, with 6.2 km (3.9 mi) in the City of Toronto and 2.4 km (1.5 mi) in York Region. Subway service on the extension is estimated to begin by the autumn of 2016.

Approximately 2,900 new parking spaces will be built at three stations along the extension, in order to encourage commuters to use the subway system. Black Creek Pioneer Village Station will have the most at 1,900 spaces, while Highway 407 Station will have 600 spaces, and Finch West Station will have 400 parking spaces.

The estimated cost of this extension is $2.09 billion in 2006 dollars, which will have escalated to $2.63 billion considering costs at the year of occurrence. The Province of Ontario has deposited $870 million into the Move Ontario Trust. The federal government has committed $697 million, but only released $75 million at the start of its fall election campaign. The City of Toronto and the Regional Municipality of York have committed to fund one-third of total project costs, with Toronto will contributing $526 million and York Region contributing $352 million.

In 2003, a temporary busway was planned between Downsview Station and the campus, but was opposed by the university, which felt it would lessen government willingness to extend the subway. After numerous delays, construction on the York University Busway started on July 25, 2008, with a short section of the busway opened on September 6, 2009 and the remainder opened on November 20, 2009.

The first construction contract was awarded on February 27, 2008. Construction has commenced in July 2008 with the relocation of sewers.

The TTC purchased two tunnel boring machines in the fall of 2010 from LOVAT Inc. for $58.4 million to dig tunnels on this extension, and two more boring machines were delivered in the spring of 2011. Tunnel boring for the extension began on June 17, 2011.

The extension north of Steeles Avenue has been maligned in the press for several reasons. The TTC had originally intended to extend the subway as far as York University, with a vast bus terminal complex at the future Black Creek Pioneer Village Station. However, provincial funding hinged on the line crossing the municipal border. The area around the future Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station is occupied by big-box stores and highways, and lacks the dense development that surrounds most other subway stations. Although a station is planned for the 407 Transitway, most GO Transit buses will terminate at Black Creek Pioneer Village Station, so that avoid commuters do not have to pay an additional TTC fare to reach York University. The TTC announced that it will incorporate a system in which GO Transit users do not have to pay an extra fare to use the subway to arrive at York University Station from the 407 Transitway.