{"id":8220,"date":"2026-06-23T15:58:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T15:58:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/projects\/delivering-complex-transit-infrastructure-in-the-heart-of-the-city\/"},"modified":"2026-06-23T16:04:25","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T16:04:25","slug":"delivering-complex-transit-infrastructure-in-the-heart-of-the-city","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/projects\/delivering-complex-transit-infrastructure-in-the-heart-of-the-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Delivering complex transit infrastructure\u00a0in the heart of the city\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>One of the largest transit projects in Canada, the Ontario Line will be a 15.6-kilometre\u00a0subway\u00a0line in Toronto running from Exhibition Place, through the heart of downtown, all the way to Line 5 Eglinton at\u00a0Don Valley Station. With 15 stations, including six interchange stations, the new line will provide more than 40 connections to bus, streetcar, light-rail\u00a0transit\u00a0and regional rail services.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>AECOM is proud to&nbsp;work&nbsp;Metrolinx in designing and delivering the Ontario Line, a 15.6-kilometre&nbsp;subway&nbsp;line in Toronto that will connect communities and people to opportunities. This transformative project will improve commute times,&nbsp;reduce crowding on existing transit routes,&nbsp;expand access to jobs, ease traffic congestion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Thousands of jobs are expected to be created during design and construction.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With more than 40 connections to other&nbsp;transit options, the Ontario Line will knit together regional transit,&nbsp;putting&nbsp;over 227,500&nbsp;more&nbsp;people&nbsp;within walking distance of transit.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>AECOM, as part of both Ontario Transit Group for the Southern Civil, Stations and Tunnel contract and Pape North Connect for the Pape Tunnel and Underground Stations contract, is providing technical design leadership for the entire&nbsp;approximately&nbsp;nine-kilometre twin-tunnel system and four stations&nbsp;of the 15 stations,&nbsp;Queen, Osgoode,&nbsp;Cosburn, and Pape,&nbsp;&nbsp;including three technically complex interchange stations, helping connect communities and drive economic growth across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Across these scopes, AECOM helps connect complex station, tunnel, civil and systems requirements into an integrated transit infrastructure that supports operational readiness, reliable performance and a safer, more intuitive experience for customers and communities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tunnels<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Ontario Line tunnelling work is a key&nbsp;component&nbsp;of the underground infrastructure, delivering twin bored tunnels through downtown Toronto and the eastern corridor. Excavation is being carried out using tunnel boring machines (TBMs) launched from major shafts at Exhibition Place and Gerrard\u2013Carlaw, which serve as deep construction and&nbsp;logistics&nbsp;hubs for segment assembly, spoil removal, and TBM operations. The tunnels pass beneath existing Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) infrastructure, utilities, waterways, and dense urban development, with continuous settlement monitoring and risk controls integrated into both design and construction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tunnel system consists of twin circular bores that form a standalone, dual-track rapid transit corridor. Each tunnel&nbsp;contains&nbsp;track infrastructure and integrated systems for power, signalling, ventilation, drainage, and communications, supporting fully automated operations. The&nbsp;tunnel&nbsp;alignment connects to station caverns and transition structures, including at the Don Yard interface, where the line&nbsp;emerges&nbsp;to connect to the above ground sections of the Ontario Line. This&nbsp;project&nbsp;is effectively carving out the first new subway tunnels in downtown Toronto in over 60 years, enabling a major expansion of underground transit capacity while minimizing surface disruption through mechanized excavation and precast segmental lining.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Queen Station<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Ontario Line Queen Station is a deep underground interchange beneath Queen Street West and Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, providing a direct connection to the existing&nbsp;TTC&nbsp;Line 1 Queen Station. The station will be constructed at approximately&nbsp;40&nbsp;metres below grade in a highly constrained urban environment, requiring complex excavation and underpinning beneath active streets, utilities, and adjacent buildings. The station design integrates with existing TTC infrastructure and introduces new underground platforms, concourses, and vertical circulation to support high passenger volumes and efficient transfers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the surface level, Queen Station will use existing TTC entrances, with&nbsp;additional&nbsp;infrastructure to improve accessibility and passenger flow. The station is designed for clear wayfinding and intuitive pedestrian flow between street, concourse, and platform levels, enabling straightforward navigation through one of the network\u2019s busiest nodes. Once complete, it will significantly enhance interchange capacity between the Ontario Line and Line 1 and improve access to the surrounding downtown retail and employment district.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"199782\" src=\"https:\/\/aecom.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/05_Queen_BofM_01_2022_0204-2647241983-1648143618132-1024x576-1.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199782\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"199784\" src=\"https:\/\/aecom.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Future_Queen-1024x576.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199784\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:24px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Osgoode Station<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Ontario Line Osgoode Station is a deep underground interchange beneath Queen Street West and University Avenue in downtown Toronto, providing a direct connection to the existing&nbsp;TTC&nbsp;Line 1 Osgoode Station. At approximately&nbsp;40&nbsp;metres below grade, it is one of the deeper stations on the alignment and is embedded within&nbsp;a highly sensitive&nbsp;institutional and heritage context,&nbsp;adjacent to&nbsp;Osgoode Hall and key civic landmarks. The design integrates with the existing TTC station and introduces new underground platforms, concourses, and vertical circulation elements to support efficient transfers at a high-demand downtown transit node.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Surface access will be provided through two new entrances: a primary entrance at the northwest corner, extending into the Osgoode Hall grounds, and a secondary entrance at Queen Street West and Simcoe Street, which incorporates the historic CIBC building. The design carefully preserves and protects surrounding heritage features, including Osgoode Hall, University Avenue monuments, and the CIBC heritage building, through detailed coordination and staged construction planning.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"199781\" src=\"https:\/\/aecom.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/04_Osgoode_Corner_2022_0310_2-1024x683.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199781\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"199780\" src=\"https:\/\/aecom.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/04_Osgoode_CIBC_Opt04_2022_0131_ouxowt-1024x683.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199780\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:24px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cosburn&nbsp;Station<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Ontario Line&nbsp;Cosburn&nbsp;Station is an underground station at Pape Avenue and&nbsp;Cosburn&nbsp;Avenue in Toronto\u2019s East York area&nbsp;serving&nbsp;the surrounding Pape Village and residential East York communities. The design includes an underground station box built using cut-and-cover methods, with street-level entrances, ventilation structures, emergency egress, and&nbsp;required&nbsp;utility relocations.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cosburn&nbsp;Station will provide local rapid transit access and connect the area to the broader Ontario Line. It is expected to improve transit access for nearby residents, generate strong local ridership, and reduce reliance on surface transit and on nearby Line 2 access points.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"199783\" src=\"https:\/\/aecom.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Cosburn_05_Plaza_A_Day-1024x576.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199783\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:24px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pape Station<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Ontario Line Pape Station is a major underground interchange at Pape Avenue and Danforth Avenue in Toronto, linking the existing&nbsp;TTC&nbsp;Line 2 Bloor\u2013Danforth station with a new perpendicular Ontario Line station built beneath and&nbsp;adjacent to&nbsp;the TTC\u2019s existing&nbsp;infrastructure. Pape Station is a major node in Toronto\u2019s transit network, a prominence that will be further enhanced by the Ontario Line.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Built in a dense urban setting within Greektown, the&nbsp;station&nbsp;requires complex staging, deep excavation, and underpinning in proximity to live subway operations. The design includes underground platforms, caverns, vertical circulation, and multiple entrances to improve pedestrian access and distribute passenger flows throughout the surrounding neighbourhood.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a key interchange hub, Pape Station will improve network resilience and provide an alternative east\u2013west downtown connection. It will&nbsp;help&nbsp;relieve congestion at Bloor\u2013Yonge Station and improve overall Line 2 load distribution. The station will enhance local access to Greektown and Danforth Avenue and support high transfer volumes as a major node within the Ontario Line system.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"199785\" src=\"https:\/\/aecom.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Pape_06_Plaza_B_Day-1024x576.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199785\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"author":701,"featured_media":8227,"template":"","tags":[],"city":[46],"class_list":["post-8220","project","type-project","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","city-toronto"],"acf":[],"metadata":{"_locations":["Canada","Ontario"],"_regions":["Americas"],"_markets":["Transportation","Mass Transit","Tunnels"],"city":["Toronto"],"featured_image":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/04_Osgoode_CIBC_Opt04_2022_0131_ouxowt.avif"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/8220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/project"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/701"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/8220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8229,"href":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/8220\/revisions\/8229"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8220"},{"taxonomy":"city","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aecom.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/city?post=8220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}