Ontario Construction News staff writer
LONDON – The Renew London program is delivering one of the largest construction seasons in the city’s history in 2026, with approximately $385 million in work targeting roads, bridges, transit and underground infrastructure.
The City of London says the program includes $285 million in new capital projects and another $100 million in ongoing work from 2025, reflecting the scale of investment required to keep pace with rapid population growth and development.
Construction activity will be widespread, covering arterial roads, key intersections, bridges and transit corridors, along with extensive watermain, storm and sanitary system upgrades. In total, the program includes more than 100 lane kilometres of roadwork, improvements to 20 intersections and over 30 kilometres of underground infrastructure.
“London has experienced some of the fastest population growth in the country over recent years, so the scale of infrastructure investment we are undertaking is essential to meet our current and future needs,” said Mayor Josh Morgan.
City officials say the 2026 program places a strong emphasis on corridor improvements, congestion management and state-of-good-repair work, while also supporting new residential and commercial development. A continued focus will be on Infrastructure Renewal Projects (IRPs), which bundle road reconstruction with sewer, watermain and utility upgrades into a single coordinated effort to improve efficiency and reduce long-term disruption
Among the largest projects this year are the Highbury Avenue South rehabilitation, which will improve access to Highway 401 and support goods movement, and upgrades to Western Road and Philip Aziz Avenue near Western University. The rehabilitation of Queen’s Bridge will include deck replacement, structural work and the addition of a multi-use path.
Other major works include the widening of Sunningdale Road West to accommodate growth in northwest London, the Bradley Avenue extension to complete a key network link and upgrades along the Kilally corridor to support development and active transportation.
Rapid transit construction remains a central component of the program, with work advancing on the Wellington Gateway and East London Link corridors. Construction in 2026 includes roadway widening, installation of dedicated centre-running bus lanes, station construction, traffic signal upgrades and associated underground servicing work.
Key projects include Wellington Gateway Phase 2, between Watson Street and Wilkins Street, as well as multiple East London Link phases, including Highbury Bridge replacement and continued work along Oxford Street East and Dundas Street to complete the corridor. While rapid transit service is not yet operational, portions of the infrastructure are already being used by conventional buses.
With construction ramping up in the spring, the city is advising that lane restrictions, detours and periodic closures are expected across major routes. Officials say traffic management plans and project scheduling are being coordinated to maintain mobility and limit disruption where possible.
For the construction sector, the program represents a significant volume of heavy civil, structural and municipal servicing work through the 2026 season, as the city advances long-term infrastructure renewal and expansion to support continued growth.
