From the completion of all stations and stops along the Finch West LRT to unearthed secrets from the past at Union Station, it’s been a year of significant milestones and stories as we continue to build the future of public transportation in the region. 

As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at some of the top articles, videos and moments of the year – and the ones that captivated you the most. 

In May, twin tunnel boring machines Rexy and Renny reached the finish line of their 6.3-kilometre mission, completing the western underground section of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension (ECWE).  

The completion of these two new tunnels means that project is one step closer to bringing the future Eglinton Crosstown LRT 9.2-kilometres farther west, creating a continuous rapid transit line from Scarborough, through midtown Toronto, and into Mississauga, with seven new stations along the way.   

Work underway across all contracts that make up the Ontario Line 

Work began in October on two new bridges in the northern segment of the Ontario Line subway that will carry Ontario Line trains across the Don Valley and through the Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park neighbourhoods. 

This new milestone built on the ongoing progress of the Ontario Line, with partners on board for all contracts and work underway along the entire route. When complete, the Ontario Line will bring 15 new subway stations to the city, running from Exhibition Place through downtown, making it faster and easier to travel within Toronto and beyond. 

Speaking of Ontario Line bridges, one of your favourite stories this year was a deep dive into how these two new bridges plus another new one being built downtown will transform Toronto’s cityscape. 

“These bridges have to be functional, but we also are very cognizant about their place in the city, and we spent a lot of time sculpting elements on them to get the details right,” said John Potter, senior manager subways sponsor at Metrolinx. 

In October, we also made it easier for customers to move around Exhibition GO Station during Ontario Line construction with the official opening of a new pedestrian bridge. The bridge will provide an additional access point between Atlantic Avenue and Exhibition Place during key station upgrades that will connect tens of thousands of commuters with Ontario Line and GO Train services under one roof.  

The following month, excavation began near Exhibition Station for the Ontario Line’s tunnel boring machine launch site, where a 16-metre-deep shaft will serve as the starting point for two TBMs.  

The roughly 6-kilometre pair of twin tunnels will be the first subway tunnel project to start in Toronto’s downtown core in more than 60 years. 

One of Toronto's most recognizable statues is on the move 

With the Ontario Line, we’re also crafting a transit legacy that preserves heritage. 

Sometimes that means moving five-storey tall statues. The South African War Memorial, one of Toronto’s most recognizable statues, moved earlier this year from the corner of Queen Street West and University Avenue to make space for construction of the Ontario Line subway. 

It’s being housed at a local heritage storage and restoration facility. It will stay there until work on the Ontario Line is done, getting some much-needed care in the process. 

It’s not just statues we’re moving. We’re moving entire sides of buildings too. By incorporating part of a historic building into the Ontario Line’s future Osgoode Station entrance, we’re keeping the past alive.  

In fact, we took the façade from a nearly 100-year-old Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce building and moved it down the street, where it will stay until the site is ready. Once construction is done, the 300-tonne wall will be carefully moved back into place. All in the name of celebrating heritage and promoting transit progress. 

In September, we announced that crews finished construction on all stations and stops along the alignment including Humber College Station, Finch West Station and every surface-level stop in between. Major construction on the Finch West LRT project is now complete, and it is currently in the testing and commissioning phase.   

When it opens, the new line will carry millions of riders each year using emission-free light rail vehicles. Passengers will also benefit from additional transit connections to other regional transit systems such as GO Transit, MiWay, Brampton Transit, York Region Transit and the TTC.  

With the completion of every station and stop along the Finch West LRT, we wanted to give you an up close and personal tour. 

Humber College Station is the western terminus of the line and comes equipped with seating, bike racks and a 200-metre covered walkway connecting the station to the campus, for those rainy or snowy days. The best part? It’ll only take about two minutes to walk to campus from the station.  

While some may only think of it as a transit stop, Union Station is a treasure trove of artifacts associated with the history of Toronto’s waterfront. 

Recent work on the station has revealed several interesting discoveries from the mid-19th century. The archaeology team has uncovered multiple wharf structures and other shoreline infrastructure, along with household artifacts from the time period. 

Take a closer look at some of the fascinating discoveries.  

Beyond these exciting milestones and project updates, we were thrilled this year to celebrate a transformative year for PRESTO. The transit payment system made several advancements that gave transit riders in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) more flexibility, seamless transfers and money in their pockets. The One Fare program launched in February and already over 25 million transfers have been made using One Fare, saving commuters more than $81 million collectively. In July, Metrolinx and Apple introduced PRESTO in Apple Wallet, bringing you another way to pay your fare across the region.  

This year, we also continued our focus on safety, hosting events around Rail Safety Week and launching a series of videos and stories around LRT safety, and accessibility, launching a partnership with AccessNow in January and adding more transit accessibility guides on the MagnusCards app. 

It’s been a busy and eventful year, full of important milestones and great moments, and we look forward to sharing more stories and updates with you in 2025. Thank you for reading Discover!