Construction underway for island airport tunnel

A Canadian made tunnel boring machine is revealed as construction plans for Toronto's underwater pedestrian tunnel are underway

Two Canadian-made tunnel boring machines were revealed at Billy Bishop Toronto island airport Friday, before they start digging the city’s underwater pedestrian tunnel connecting the airport to the mainland.

The $82-million tunnel, which is being financed entirely by the private sector, will be 800 ft. long and 10 stories down.

“When the tunnel is completed in the spring of 2014, it will be a first-class piece of infrastructure,” said Geoffrey Wilson, Toronto Port Authority CEO, at a press conference Friday.

The tunnel is expected to be a convenient route for the airport’s ever growing customers.

“The airport has experienced continued double-digit passenger growth and serves a large concentration of high-value frequent business and tourism travelers on its routes,” said Wilson.

Economic Growth

The Toronto Port Authority and Toronto Board of Trade released a report Friday saying the tunnel is expected to generate $2 billion annually in economic output.

“It is an economic driver, it is vital to ensuring that our regional economy here remains globally competitive,” said Carol Wilding, Toronto Board of Trade CEO, at the press conference.

The report said the project will create approximately 5,700 jobs, 1,700 of which are directly linked to the airport and will generate around $290 million in wages.

With a report by Natalie Johnson