After a summer of mixed signals, Eglinton LRT opening still unknown

September is officially underway, and while the month typically marks new beginnings for many, it’s unlikely that will be the case for transit riders hoping to ride the Eglinton LRT as the opening still appears to be nowhere in sight.

This summer was an emotional rollercoaster for transit riders, as updates kept rolling in for the long delayed project, some pointing towards a September opening, while others quickly shattered those hopes and dreams.  

The line, which was originally set to open in 2020, stretches 19 km from Mount Dennis Station in the west, to Kennedy Station in the east. Construction for the line began in 2011.

JUNE 

Over the course of the past five years, transit riders have been given many different potential opening windows and dates, with the most recent being this September.

In June, Premier Doug Ford said he was hearing “positive things” about the Eglinton track, and affirmed he’s hearing that a potential September opening could be on the table. 

“Thank God and that’s all I have to say about the project,” Ford said to the media at the time.

Torontonians were in fact feeling hopeful, even more hopeful when Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay confirmed later that month that the TTC had taken full control over the line for relentless stress testing.

Lindsay said that if everything goes according to plan, a September opening could be met, so long as it was safe to do so.

JULY 

Those announcements gave Torontonians a glimmer of hope, which quickly came to an end at a TTC board meeting in July when former TTC Interim CEO, Greg Percy, cast a show of doubt when asked if September would be possible.

“I think it’s a reach,” Percy said at the time.

However, Percy did say that this fall would be possible “and certainly by year end.” 

Percy reaffirmed that safety and customer service is the agency’s top priority, and an opening won’t happen until the line is satisfying both. 

AUGUST

The most recent update on a potential opening date came from TTC Chair Jamaal Myers, who said that a September opening for the line is not looking likely, according to CTV News. 

This came just a few weeks after Percy said LRT vehicles were only just beginning to run the mileage required to run daily service.

SEPTEMBER

Now, as commuters and students return to their jobs, it’s still unclear when and if the Eglinton LRT will be readily available for them to use this fall. 

Metrolinx has previously stated that a three-month notice will be provided when the line is set to open, but it is unclear if that will still be the case. However, if the agency chooses to do so, that means the opening of the line could be as early as the end of the year, or even into 2026.