IBI Group has been selected as the lead architect on the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) Yonge-University subway enhancement program.

Working with prime consultant WSP—which was awarded its own contract for the works in November—IBI Group will manage the review and development of facility station modification requirements for the 11-year project, which will significantly upgrade capacity upgrades to the line in an effort to manage increased ridership in the near and long term.

"We are proud to work together with WSP and the TTC to support its goal of improved customer experience, safety and satisfaction,” said IBI Group director and senior practice lead, architecture, Lisa D’Abbondanza. “The TTC’s Enhancement Program also supports the continued growth of the City of Toronto, making the benefits of a healthy public transit system more accessible to city residents and visitors.”

As lead architect, IBI Group will review passenger and design capacities and provide design solutions that consider demand requirements 30 years beyond the target construction completion date, using growth forecasts provided by the TTC and the City of Toronto. Wayfinding, signage, and accessibility will be central considerations throughout the design process. Work on the project commenced in December 2020, and has an expected completion in 2031.

The Yonge-University line—also known as Line 1—is Canada’s busiest rapid transit line. Pre-COVID-19, it served more than 850,000 riders daily. Southbound trains departing from Bloor-Yonge Station could carry as many as 28,000 to 30,000 passengers during the morning rush hour—beyond the line's scheduled capacity.

Recent demand forecasts, which were completed pre-COVID-19, indicate that morning rush-hour southbound ridership from Bloor-Yonge Station could soon exceed 36,000 passengers as a result of the completion of the Line 1 Yonge Subway Extension, and population and employment increases in the Toronto region.

IBI Group is no stranger to projects in transportation engineering and planning, transit architecture and intelligent transportation systems, and smart cities. The firm is working on or has completed such project as Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown LRT and Hurontario LRT, York Region’s vivaNext BRT, the Edmonton Valley Line LRT, Ottawa Confederation Line, and the Tel Aviv Light Rail Red Line, and is part of the preferred proponent team for work on Vancouver’s Broadway Subway Project.