INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSPORT
January 6, 2026 877
Eglinton Line 5 West Extension: Scarlett to Jane Guideway, station update
In Etobicoke and former York County, major progress has been made in 2025 on the elevated route that will carry the long-awaited extension of the Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown LRT west over the Eglinton Flats area and the Humber River. The first two new elevated commuter rail stations to be built in Toronto in the 21st century will soon rise above parkland along the north side of Eglinton Avenue between Scarlett Road and Weston Road.
Looking northwest across the banks of the Humber River where columns were erected to support the future LRT trackbed, October 9, 2025, image courtesy of UrbanToronto forum staff ProjectEnd
While the core of Eglinton Line 5 is mired in controversy and delays, progress on the LRT's western extension has been relatively smooth since construction began in 2021. The extension spans 9.2 kilometers and runs from the soon-to-open western terminus at Mount Dennis station through Central Etobicoke to a new terminus at Renforth Drive on the Mississauga border. Although initial plans released by the City of Toronto called for a surface route in the median of Eglinton Avenue West, in 2019 Premier Ford revised the western extension to be completely grade-separated. At the time, it was stated that the change was to ensure rapid transit speeds by eliminating traffic disruptions – a foresight that seems particularly relevant given the slow service seen on the Finch West LRT grade since it opened in December.
A diagram of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension route and stations through York, Central Etobicoke and Mississauga, image courtesy of Metrolinx
Following the change, a request for proposal (RFP) was issued by Infrastructure Ontario in June 2020 for the project phase to drill twin tunnels from Scarlett Road to Renforth Drive, followed by a request for proposal (RFQ). In a relatively quick turnaround of major infrastructure projects in Ontario, West End Connectors – a consortium consisting of infrastructure companies Aecon, Dragados and Ghella – was awarded the contract in May 2021, with construction beginning less than two weeks later on June 1, 2021.
A look into one of the twin tunnels west of Scarlett Road; The tunnel project was substantially completed on June 30, 2025, image courtesy of Infrastructure Ontario
Aecon was then awarded the contract to deliver the 1.5 kilometer long elevated railway on which the Scarlett and Jane-Eglinton stations will be built. Meanwhile, Strabag Inc. was awarded the contract to build the “Jane Portal,” which will connect the trackway to the existing facilities at Mount Dennis Station. Construction officially began in the first quarter of 2024 with tree clearing and site preparation at Fergy Brown Park and Eglinton Flats. This work made way for the concrete columns that will support the track bed, as well as the tunnel portal needed to facilitate excavation.
Looking east across Eglinton Avenue west of Weston Road after initial leaf removal work at the future site of Jane Portal, September 2024, image courtesy of UrbanToronto forum staff ProjectEnd
In just over a year, construction progressed quickly, largely thanks to the uncongested work area and the relative simplicity of the elevated structure. The usual complicating factors encountered in urban rapid transit projects, such as utilities, building foundations and tight parking spaces, are naturally minimized in a park setting.
Looking east across Eglinton Avenue West toward the Jane Portal, which will convert Line 5 trains from tunnel to elevated rail west of Pearen Street, October 2025, image courtesy of Metrolinx
Rows of columns were constructed along the north side of Eglinton Avenue West and gradually covered with huge formwork, allowing the trackbed to be raised above street level. This alignment at the southernmost edge of two large parks that run through the Humber River floodplain on Eglinton Avenue West and form the area initially sparked resistance and protest. Critics claimed serious impacts on the environment and the Indigenous community's ability to use public parkland. After numerous protests, opposition groups filed an injunction against the provincial government to stop the project. Some people even threatened a construction blockade in an interview with the CBC in 2023. However, since the rejection of this injunction at the end of 2024 and the absence of any attempts to hinder construction, work has continued smoothly.
Looking northwest from Eglinton Avenue West at the columns and the under-construction driveway that will run between them, image courtesy of UrbanToronto forum contributor fanoftoronto
The Humber River runs through the middle of this parkland network, requiring new bridge construction to carry Eglinton Line 5 west to Etobicoke. By October 2025, numerous multi-storey supports had already been erected along the river bank, with the first formwork being erected on and around them. Once these support structures are completed, Aecon will build a balanced cantilever bridge – a method that allows the structure to be built without serious interference with the riverbed. Using two bridge walkers, the cantilever bridge is constructed from each bank before meeting and joining in the middle.
Looking east across the Humber River as columns and early formwork are erected for the bridge that will one day carry Line 5 trains, October 9, 2025, image courtesy of UrbanToronto forum contributor ProjectEnd
This bridge is flanked to the west by Scarlett station, while further along the roadway is Jane-Eglinton station to the east. When they open, they* are expected to be the first new elevated commuter rail stations built in Toronto since the debut of the now-defunct Scarborough RT in 1985. (*Some Line 3 stations in Ontario are also elevated and could open around the same time as the western extension of Line 5.) Scarlett station will provide rapid transit access to the cluster of mid-century modernist towers and newer condominiums that line the west side of the street.
A rendering looking north toward Scarlett Station, image courtesy of Metrolinx
Jane-Eglinton station – a name expected to be changed before opening day – will be a rarity on Toronto's transit network, and not just because of the predominantly leafy views of the Humber Valley it will offer riders: The station sits above Jane Street and is hundreds of meters from the nearest home, business or high-rise, instead being flanked on all sides by lush parkland. This station will likely have little foot traffic and will serve a busy bus corridor along Jane Street that will handle the majority of transfer passengers. Extending from the Pioneer Village station on Steeles Avenue West to the Jane station on Bloor Street West, the 35/935 is a long route covering almost the entire height of Toronto.
A site map of Jane-Eglinton Station outlining the route of the elevated guideway and station entrances, image courtesy of Metrolinx
With the core segment of Route 5 set to open soon, the TTC has already released plans to overhaul connecting bus routes to better accommodate riders on the new rapid transit. As part of this network restructuring, the 35 Jane will be split in two, with a new “27 Jane South” operating from Mount Dennis station to Jane station, while the renamed “35 Jane North” will operate north from Mount Dennis station to its current terminus at Pioneer Village station, with the 935 express services continuing to operate. Whether service on Jane Street will undergo further changes following the opening of the Jane-Eglinton station and the entire Crosstown West Extension remains to be seen.
A rendering showing an entrance to Jane-Eglinton Station elevated above the intersection of Jane Street and Eglinton Avenue West, image courtesy of Metrolinx
While the track foundations on which Scarlett and Jane-Eglinton stations will rest were being built, the contract was finalized that will determine who will build the stations. In August 2025, a station, rail and systems package was awarded to Trillium Rail Partners – a consortium consisting primarily of WSP, Amico and Acciona. This agreement was made to expand the stations and rail infrastructure, turning mere tunnels and routes into a transport system capable of carrying tens of thousands of people per hour.
The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension was originally scheduled to be completed in 2031, which is an already long ten-year window for construction of the additional 9.2 kilometers of track. However, in the years since groundbreaking, Metrolinx has removed any mention of a 2031 opening from its publicly available website for the project, and no new opening day estimate has been released. 2031 was also the originally planned opening year of Ontario Line 3, but an opening date for this is also no longer stated on the Metrolinx website.
A rendering looking south toward the roadway under construction that will carry Route 5 over the Eglinton Flats, image courtesy of Metrolinx
UrbanToronto will continue to monitor the progress of Eglinton Line 5 and its western extension, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it in our database files linked below. If you'd like, you can join the discussion in the associated Project Forum threads or leave a comment in the designated area on this page.
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UrbanToronto's research and data service, UTPro, provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe – from proposal to completion. Other services include instant reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from the first application.
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