Category: Funding

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Funding Subways Transit Yonge North Subway Extension

Celebrating the YNSE funding commitment

The expression “where there is a will, there is a way” might as well be talking about the Yonge North Subway Extension [YNSE], because this project has been York Region’s top transit priority for two decades. Here at YRRTC, we were thrilled to hear the announcement last month that the Government of Canada is contributing 40% of the YNSE, as part of a larger investment for four GTA transit projects.  

The YRRTC Board, led by Board Chair and Markham Mayor, Frank Scarpitti, and Chairman and CEO of York Region, Wayne Emmerson have championed this project, most recently collecting signatures on symbolic shovels, and ensuring the 905 & 416 voices were heard at the federal table with respect to this critically important piece of infrastructure.

We’re happy to see that the federal government recognizes the fact that the YNSE and other transit systems are key economic drivers, generating hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in economic benefits, starting from the planning stage all the way through construction and operation. 

Here at YRRTC, we’ve spent years advocating for the YNSE as well as other rapid transit needed to accommodate York Region’s future growth.  We know there are many more steps ahead to get this subway planned, designed, and built. Big subway projects like this can take 10 years to construct, and in this case every level of government is involved, and the project crosses regional and municipal boundaries. There is a will to build the YNSE though, and with the recent Provincial, Federal and Municipal funding commitments, now there is a way.

One day in the not-so-distant future, we’ll be celebrating the first subway ride along the Yonge North Subway Extension. Until then, there is lots of work to do to plan and design a subway project that works for everyone.

Metrolinx is the project manager for the YNSE and provides information at metrolinx.com. Find other related YNSE materials on YRRTC’s website, vivanext.com/YongeSubwayExt.

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economic & financial economic benefits Funding Subways

A case for the Yonge North Subway Extension

Last month, Metrolinx released their Yonge North Subway Extension Initial Business Case, and for those of you who aren’t already experts on transportation planning, that means this critical project has taken one step forward. As always with large infrastructure projects like this, there are more steps to come. There’s a consultation process just getting started, and that will help answer some of the questions around where the stations should be, and the route the extension takes [aka. The “alignment”]. This is the first of several future blogs that will help our communities get more familiar with the Yonge North Subway Extension project and the important benefits it brings to York Region.

the process

The purpose of an Initial Business Case is to analyze different options or designs for a project, to come up with a preferred option before moving on to preliminary design and procurement [and more business cases], followed by construction. In this case, Metrolinx has developed new alternatives to the route and stations, including Option 1 that was selected as part of an Addendum to the Environmental Project Report York Region completed in partnership with the TTC and Toronto in 2013, and new second and third options.

More decisions are yet to be made, and Metrolinx has kicked off a series of public engagement opportunities. A Supplementary Analysis contains refined information for Option 3, and this and the Business Case will help support the Province’s application for funding.

funding this critical project

There’s also the very important step of acquiring a full funding commitment from the federal government [the Province committed to funding their share in 2019].To help build the case for this missing link in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area [GTHA], York Region commissioned a federal submission by Deloitte to ensure the project has a robust funding application.

the benefits

One thing we know for sure is how important the Yonge North Subway Extension is to the economic recovery and growth, environment, and mobility of the local and greater areas where it’s being built.

Over 52,000 new jobs during construction and 5,000 after opening, 12,000 new housing starts, and an overall contribution to over $7.8 billion in Gross Domestic Product will help produce a positive cycle of economic change.

Annual reductions of 4,800 tonnes of auto-related greenhouse gas emissions will move the GTHA a little farther on the track to Canada’s target of net-zero emissions, due to 7,700 fewer vehicle kilometres travelled during morning peak hours.

Within the first five years of service, over 13 million new subway riders annually will have improved access to potential employment, housing and other services, regardless of ability, family status, socio economic circumstances, etc.

Looking ahead, we will examine other key areas of Deloitte’s federal submission report, outlining important benefits that come with investments in infrastructure projects like the Yonge North Subway Extension.

There are important things to sort out, but this has been a project in the making for 20 years, and we need to keep moving it forward to get it where it needs to be. And we’re all on board for that.

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Funding Future Projects Innovation

with smart investment, there’s more to come

with smart investment, there’s more to come

This year has been all about what’s to come. Along with our bus rapid transit [BRT] and transit terminals projects we have on the go, there is more to be done to ensure York Region has a transportation network that is complete and sustainable:

  • Yonge Subway Extension [YSE] – Preliminary design and engineering is already underway for York Region’s top transit priority. Once full capital funding is committed for this 5-station, 7.4 km extension from Finch to Highway 7, it will be ready to proceed to procurement, full engineering and construction. For more info, visit our YSE project page
  • next phase of BRT – More than 75 km of new dedicated lanes for Viva, along Yonge Street, Highway 7 East and West, Jane Street, Major Mackenzie Drive and Leslie Street. These projects are vital to ensure that York Region has a completely connected system, making the most of the investment already made into BRT. Why Bus Rapid Transit? The capacity fits the projected ridership on most of our routes, it’s relatively economical to build and flexible to expand. For more information about these BRT projects, click here, or look at our interactive map of unfunded rapid transit projects in York Region.
  • building innovation – Helping York Region benefit from the changes to technology and mobility, by researching trends and building partnerships – find our 10-year business plan here.

York Region is a big municipality – with a growing number of residents and businesses. To ensure everyone can travel from A to B without overloading our roads with traffic congestion, we’re putting a fast, reliable transit system in place, on some of our busiest roads. We’re also looking at new ideas in travel and mobility. We’re researching new types of transit vehicles, sustainable solutions and innovative funding partnerships.

Growth can be great when it’s managed well, and for this we need smart investments that bring York Region’s bright future to life!