Progress Advancing on Eglinton Crosstown West LRT Extension

Construction on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension (ECWE), a major light-rail transit line stretching from east Mississauga through west Toronto, is making headway both underground and above ground.

Two weeks ago, crews marked a key milestone by breaking ground on the final tunnel segment. This week, attention turned to the elevated guideway, where foundations for the bridge are now underway, according to Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency leading the project.

Once completed, the 9.2-kilometre LRT extension will connect Scarborough in the east to Mississauga in the west, potentially reaching Pearson Airport. The route includes seven new stations and promises to bring rapid transit to underserved areas of Etobicoke and Mississauga.

Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation says the ECWE will improve commutes, reduce traffic congestion, and put over 37,500 people within a 10-minute walk of reliable transit. It will also support regional connections to UP Express, GO Transit, TTC, and MiWay—all accessible under the One Fare system, allowing free transfers between services.

Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said the project will help address gridlock and create more than 4,500 skilled jobs in construction and engineering.

Excavation is now underway on twin 500-metre tunnels beneath Eglinton Avenue West between Jane Street and the future Mount Dennis Station. This follows last year’s completion of a significant tunneling milestone. Two massive tunnel boring machines (TBMs), “Renny” and “Rexy,” finished digging 6.3 kilometres of tunnel each—Renny emerging in May 2024 and Rexy wrapping up in April.

The ECWE will run underground from Renforth Drive in Mississauga to just west of Scarlett Road in Toronto, then switch to an elevated section near Jane Street before heading underground again to reach Mount Dennis Station.

Construction is expected to wrap up between 2030 and 2031. A further 4.7-kilometre extension to Pearson Airport is also under consideration.