Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown LRT will not open in September: Metrolinx CEO

"Out of Service" signs are shown on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT in Toronto on Friday, May 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT will not open this month, the head of Metrolinx confirmed Friday.

Reports had circulated, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford had suggested, that the 19-kilometre track, which is now five years delayed and at least $1 billion over budget, was going to open in September.

However, at an unrelated news conference, Metrolinx president and CEO Michael Lindsay confirmed commuters will have to keep waiting.

“The target that we had for passenger service in September, unfortunately, is not going to be achieved,” he said, while underscoring that testing on the track which runs from Mount Dennis in the west to Kennedy in the east, is well underway.

Lindsay said that on Monday the system ran for the first time more than 10,000 kilometres of passenger service tests with 20 to 22 trains on the tracks. Despite that, he added, vehicle reliability and performance issues persist.

Once those issues are resolved, he explained that a 30-day trial, known as a revenue service demonstration (RSD), will commence before the line opens to the public.

“Now our new focus is on making sure that hopefully it’s just a matter of a couple of weeks before we’re starting RSD, and we’re working each and every day to bring this service into service as fast as we can, but we have to do it with reliability,” he said.

Speaking to reporters at Queen’s Park Friday. Premier Doug Ford was asked about the updated timeline.

While he rejected calls for a public inquiry to investigate why the project has been so delayed, Ford said he will meet with Metrolinx and the TTC, which will be operating the trains, to understand the hold-up.

“I want a line by line, detailed itemized progress (report), what is taking so much time, and we’ll make sure we get down to the bottom of it,” he said.

Prior to Lindsay’s update, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in June that he was “hearing” the line would open in September. Toronto Coun. Josh Matlow made similar remarks about the potential opening date in April.

Construction on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT started in 2011 and was supposed to be up and running by 2020. But work stoppages brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as lawsuits and technical issues, have resulted in years’ worth of delays.

Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria was asked if the Ontario government owed the public an apology for the setbacks. While he declined to issue one, he did acknowledge that “a lot” of “frustration” and “disappointment” has accompanied the project.

“We’re going to deliver a system that is going to work for the people of this province and for the city, and we’re going to do that with every one of our projects. We’re not going to cut any corners on safety or reliability, and so as the project moves forward, and as Michael updated us today, that is our key focus as we move forward.”

While the expected opening date remains to be seen, Lindsay said he’s “hoping” it’s in October.