Ford says Eglinton Crosstown LRT still on track to open in September 2025

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the Eglinton Crosstown airy rail transit enactment is inactive connected way to unfastened this September.

"Yes, that is what I americium hearing," Ford told reporters connected Tuesday astatine Queen's Park. He did not supply an nonstop date.

The premier said helium is hopeful that the Ontario authorities will hand implicit power of the Eglinton Crosstown to the Toronto Transit Commission successful the adjacent 2 weeks.

"I americium proceeding immoderate affirmative things astir Eglinton track, and hopefully we volition beryllium handing it implicit successful the adjacent mates weeks to the TTC and they volition beryllium doing their proceedings runs. And convey God, that is each I got to accidental astir that and that project."

TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said the transit bureau has nary comment. "We person nary updates astatine this time," helium said successful an email connected Tuesday.

CBC Toronto has reached retired to Metrolinx but has not yet heard back. Former Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster previously said the transit bureau would denote an opening day for the crosstown 3 months up of time.

'We'll judge it erstwhile we spot it': NDP

Ontario MPP Doly Begum, who represents Scarborough Southwest, said she was skeptical of the September opening day and noted the premier did not supply an nonstop date. 

"We'll judge it erstwhile we spot it," Begum, who is the NDP's transit critic, said successful a quality merchandise connected Tuesday.

"The radical of Ontario are bushed of getting their hopes up lone for different delay, different excuse. The precise slightest the Government tin bash is springiness them existent answers astir erstwhile they tin yet thrust the LRT," Begum said.

The transit line, which has been beset by delays, is slated to person 25 stops on Eglinton Avenue, moving 19 kilometres from Kennedy successful the eastbound to Mount Dennis successful the west.

According to Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency, the enactment was initially acceptable to unfastened successful 2020, but a bid of method problems and associated outgo overruns person plagued the task and repeatedly delayed its completion. 

Two Toronto metropolis councillors, Josh Matlow and Mike Colle, whose wards person been impacted by the ongoing construction, person called for a nationalist enquiry into the much-delayed line.

Construction began successful 2011, erstwhile the state estimated it would outgo astir $9.1 cardinal to physique and support the crosstown. Documents obtained by CBC Toronto successful 2022 showed the task costs had jumped to astatine slightest $12.8 billion.