Here’s how Toronto’s new elevated subway stretch is being built: The 15.6-kilometre Ontario Line, a new transit system for Toronto, is under construction. This transit line features a unique elevated track, which is quite a rarity for Toronto. The northeastern leg of this line is being constructed through Thorncliffe Park. A key aspect of this new line is that the Don Valley Station, Thorncliffe Park, and Flemingdon Park Stations will be built above street-level, serviced by an elevated guideway. Currently, the construction of these new stations and the elevated corridor is in full swing.
Construction Progress on the Elevated Corridor
Work has begun on the elevated corridor along the east side of Don Mills Rd. Construction activity includes the preparation for the new stations and the elevated corridor that will transport trains across the terminal stretch of the route. As part of the ongoing construction, a temporary bus terminal was opened at Don Valley Station in October, and watermain relocation work along Don Mills Rd was completed in November.
Pile Drilling and Building Pier Foundations
Preparation for the Ontario Line’s northeastern leg involves many tasks, such as pile drilling and building pier foundations for the elevated guideway on the east side of Don Mills Rd. between Eglinton Ave. and Wynford Dr. The four-month task has already seen the drilling of multiple piers, with work still ongoing on the remaining piers in this work area. The next phase of the pile drilling and building pier foundations is scheduled to commence in February 2026.
Columns Supporting the Elevated Guideway
Columns supporting the elevated guideway will soon line a corridor running north/south just east of Don Mills Rd., providing structural support for the guideway and adding a permanent visual change to the neighbourhood. Each pile foundation will be 1.8 metres in diameter and will take between 15 and 19 days to complete. Other ongoing tasks along this stretch include substructure work, building pier columns and pile caps for the elevated guideway, slated for completion in mid-January, and secant piling for the foundations of station basement walls for the future Don Valley Station, ongoing until late January.
Don Valley Station
Don Valley Station will be the northern terminus of the line, connecting with the Line 5 Eglinton (Crosstown LRT), should Metrolinx ever decide to open the beleaguered transit line. Unlike other more intensive tasks for the Ontario Line, which require 24-hour construction, the piling work being carried out for the elevated stretch of the line only requires shifts on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with periodic evening and weekend work.
Future Flemingdon Park Station
At the future site of Flemingdon Park Station, crews are still in the earliest stages, including setting up site offices and marking work areas. Tree removal near E.T. Seton Park Archery Range will follow in late December or early January, while work in the new year will include installation of light poles, pile foundation drilling, and other tasks to prep the station site.
These pictures provided by Metrolinx give a glimpse into the ongoing construction work. The elevated Ontario Line is sure to bring about a significant change in the city’s transit system, improving connectivity and ease of travel for residents.
