What to know
- Metrolinx is holding a public contest to name two tunnel boring machines for the Yonge North Subway Extension.
- Submissions are open until Nov. 14, with eligible Ontario residents aged 18 and older able to participate.
- A judging panel will select six semi-finalists before the public votes on the winning names.
- The 6.3-kilometre extension will add five new subway stations along Yonge Street into York Region.
Metrolinx is gearing up to extend the TTC’s Line 1 farther north into York Region, and the transit agency wants your help naming the machines that will dig the tunnels.
The agency has officially launched a naming contest for the two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that will help extend Line 1 all the way to Richmond Hill.
Submissions are open until Nov. 14, marking one of the final steps before the dynamic duo embarks on a 6.3-kilometre journey from the tunnel launch shaft in York Region towards Finch Station.
To enter, participants must be legal residents of Ontario who are at least 18 years old, have internet access and hold a valid email address. Eligibility requirements must have been met by Friday, Oct. 30, 2026.
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According to Metrolinx, minors can participate only if a parent or legal guardian submits an entry on their behalf and meets the eligibility requirements.
School classes can also enter as a group, provided their teacher meets the eligibility requirements and submits an entry on behalf of the class.
Once the submission period closes, entries will move into the judging stage according to Metrolinx.
The transit agency says a panel of judges will select six semi-finalists using a four-point scoring system that considers originality, creativity and how well the two names complement one another.
The public will then have the opportunity to vote for their favourite among the six finalists.
The winner will receive recognition in a Metrolinx press release and may have the opportunity to attend an event unveiling the machines’ names at one of the tunnel boring machine sites. The winning entry could also be featured in Metrolinx-related articles, newsletters, websites and social media.
According to the agency, the winner may also get a photo opportunity with the machines named through their submission, provided there are no safety restrictions related to ongoing construction at the site.
The two new TBMs will join an existing family of named tunnel boring machines currently working on major transit projects across Toronto.
These include Rexy and Renny from the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, Diggy Scardust from the Scarborough Subway Extension, and Libby and Corkie from the Ontario Line.
The Yonge North Subway Extension will add five new stations along Yonge Street at Steeles, Clark, Royal Orchard, Bridge and High Tech, extending the subway through Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill.
