CANADA: The government of Ontario and transport authority Metrolinx have awarded North End Connectors the tunnelling contract for the Toronto metro’s Yonge North Subway Extension project.
North End Connectors comprises:
- Applicant leads: Aecon Infrastructure Management, FCC Canada, Ghella Canada;
- Construction prime team members: Aecon Infrastructure Management, FCC Canada, Ghella Canada.
- Design prime team members: EXP Services, TYPSA.
The 8 km Yonge North Subway Extension will take Line 1 north from Finch station to Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill, with five stations. It is expected to put 26 000 more people within a 10 min walk of public transport and cut the journey time from Markham to central Toronto by up to 22 min. A proposed transport hub at Bridge station would offer connections to GO trains and buses.
Advance Tunnels contract
Under the C$1·4bn Advance Tunnels design, build and finance contract announced on August 6 North End Connectors will be responsible for the construction of 6·3 km of tunnels, including supplying the tunnel boring machines and the launch and extraction shafts. It will also build the underground support structures for future stations and emergency exit buildings, and an at-grade section along the existing corridor.
Preliminary works including utility relocation are already underway, and early upgrades at Finch station are substantially complete. Once the design development phase is complete, construction is expected to begin in Q4 2026 and be completed in 2030.
A separate contract will be let for construction of the stations and railway systems.
Getting shovels in the ground
’The Yonge North Subway Extension is a critical part of our C$70bn investment to build public transit in communities across Ontario’, said Premier Doug Ford. ’As we get shovels in the ground on this critical project, we’re helping keep thousands of workers on the job and we’re building the infrastructure that will boost Ontario’s economy and help thousands of York Region commuters get where they need to go faster and more conveniently.’
Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria said ’in the face of economic uncertainty and US tariffs that continue to target workers and businesses across the province, we are protecting Ontario’s economy by building the next generation of Subway service that will connect Ontarians to thousands of good paying jobs and housing for years to come.’
