Ontario Marks the Long-Awaited Opening of Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown LRT
February 7, 2026 Billy Walker
For many people living in the Greater Toronto Area, the long-awaited opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT once felt like little more than a pipe dream. The project was formally proposed in 2007 as part of then–Toronto Mayor David Miller’s Transit City plan. Provincial funding followed in 2009–2010, when the Ontario government, under Premier Dalton McGuinty, approved the Crosstown as a priority rapid-transit project. Finally the Ontario government is marking the official opening of the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) in Toronto, a major milestone in the province’s plan to protect Ontario by building transit, relieving gridlock and cutting travel times. The new transit line will begin operating under the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) on February 8, 2026, moving more than 123,000 riders each weekday and reducing travel times from Kennedy Station to Mount Dennis Station by nearly one hour. To mark the official launch of the line, service will be free for riders on opening day.
“Completion of the Eglinton Crosstown is a major milestone for commuters in the GTA, connecting hundreds of thousands of people from east to west to fast, affordable and reliable public transit,” said Premier Ford. “Our government has the largest plan to build in Canadian history. We will continue to invest in new roads, highways and transit, to support workers and families in every corner of our province.”
The Eglinton Crosstown LRT, also known as Line 5 Eglinton, includes 25 stations and stops along a 19-kilometre light rail line. It runs along Eglinton Avenue between Kennedy Station and Mount Dennis (Weston Road), with more than 10 kilometres underground. The LRT will link to 68 routes, three TTC subway stations and two GO lines. Riders can use the province’s One Fare program to transfer between the Eglinton Crosstown, GO Transit and participating transit agencies on a single fare, making transit more convenient and affordable for residents across the city.
“Our government is protecting Ontario by making historic investments in public transit to fight gridlock and connect more people to housing and jobs,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “The Eglinton Crosstown LRT will cut travel times across the city by 60 per cent, helping riders get where they need to go quickly and safely and fuelling our economy for years to come.”
“The Eglinton LRT will connect people and communities across the city, helping thousands commute each day and reducing congestion on our roads,” said Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto. “The opening will be phased and service levels will increase over time, alongside greater signal priority for the LRT. As Mayor, I am committed to keeping the TTC affordable by freezing fares for three years running while increasing service levels, and by introducing fare capping this year. The city and province will continue working together to deliver affordable and convenient public transit that gets Toronto moving.”
As part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario, the province is investing $70 billion in the largest expansion of public transit in North America to shorten travel times, reduce gridlock and drive economic growth across the region.
Visit the TTC Official website for more information here
Quick Facts
- Following a successful Revenue Service Demonstration, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT officially achieved substantial completion on December 5, 2025, and transferred full operational control of the line to the TTC.
- To ensure a smooth launch, service levels on the line will gradually increase over the first six months, reflecting the standard approach for bringing major LRT projects into service worldwide.
- Opening day: 6:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., with trains every 4 minutes and 45 seconds during peak periods.
- After six months: 5:30 a.m. – 2:30 a.m., with trains every three minutes and 30 seconds during peak periods.
- Riders can use the province’s One Fare program to transfer between the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, GO Transit and participating transit agencies on a single fare.
- Ontario is investing nearly $70 billion in the largest transit expansion in North America, including the largest subway expansion in Canadian history by building the Ontario Line subway, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and the Yonge North Subway Extension.
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