Ontario Construction News staff writer
Construction is underway on the second of three stations that will make up the Scarborough Subway Extension, marking another milestone in Ontario’s plan to expand rapid transit in Toronto’s east end.
Crews have begun piling and excavation work for the future Lawrence East Station at Lawrence Avenue and McCowan Road. Once complete, the station is expected to serve more than 5,000 riders, support more than 4,000 rush-hour transfers and provide a direct subway connection to Scarborough General Hospital and more than 3,400 nearby jobs.
The station will also include a bus terminal connecting to express bus services along Lawrence Avenue.
The province said the nearly eight-kilometre Scarborough Subway Extension will bring approximately 38,000 people within walking distance of rapid transit and support about 3,000 construction jobs annually throughout the project.
“We’re bringing world-class rapid transit to Scarborough by extending the TTC’s Line 2 subway service almost eight kilometres farther east,” Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said in a statement. “Under Premier Doug Ford’s leadership, we’re building the infrastructure we need to support one of the fastest-growing regions in Ontario, and we’re keeping thousands of workers on the job during construction.”
The Scarborough Subway Extension will extend Line 2 by 7.8 kilometres from Kennedy Station to Sheppard Avenue and McCowan Road, adding three new stations.
Mark Salsberg, chairperson of TRACCS Transit and Rail, said the project will improve transit access and reliability for residents in Scarborough’s east end.
“This project is essential for expanding transit capacity in the east end, connecting communities and ensuring reliable, future-ready mobility for thousands of Scarborough residents daily,” Salsberg said.
Michael Lindsay, president and CEO of Metrolinx, said the new station will improve access to health care and employment opportunities.
“We are excited to begin construction on another station for the Scarborough Subway Extension,” Lindsay said. “Building seamless rapid transit to the Scarborough Health Network General Hospital at Lawrence and McCowan will improve access to health care for residents and connect to over 3,400 job opportunities in the local area.”
The Scarborough Subway Extension is part of Ontario’s broader transit expansion program, which also includes the Ontario Line, Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and Yonge North Subway Extension. The province has described the combined projects as the largest subway expansion in Canadian history.
