Toronto City Council has voted unanimously to accept $226 million in funding from the provincial government for the delivery of the SmartTrack Stations Program.

Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie announced on June 14 that the funding had been secured from the Province of Ontario. Following Council’s request in March, the City and the Province successfully negotiated construction funding terms, signalling a commitment for the SmartTrack program and ensuring the transit initiative can proceed to construction as soon as possible.

“This $226 million-agreement with the Province of Ontario is great news for transit in Toronto,” she said. “Council’s approval of this provincial funding protects funding commitments already made by the City of Toronto and the Government of Canada. Most importantly, it moves SmartTrack forward. By transforming Toronto’s existing rail infrastructure from a regional commuter service into an urban rapid transit network, we will greatly benefit Toronto residents and increase their transit options.”

Combined with Metrolinx’s GO Expansion Program, the SmartTrack program will transform heavy rail infrastructure in Toronto from a regional commuter service into an urban rapid transit network.

The program will see five stations constructed at Finch-Kennedy, East Harbour, King-Liberty, Bloor-Lansdowne and St. Clair-Old Weston. Through the GO Expansion Program, the stations will be supported with all-day, two-way service, increased frequency and quieter and faster trains. SmartTrack will expand transit access for Toronto residents travelling within and beyond the city.

The revised programs budget is $1.689 billion, including $878 million from the City, $585 million from the Government of Canada and $226 million from the Province of Ontario. The program is one of several major transit expansion projects underway and planned for Toronto.

With additional funding in place, the City and Metrolinx are now working to prepare various sites for SmartTrack construction and will proceed with a design-build contract award for the Bloor-Lansdowne station.

The city says market conditions within the construction sector have changed considerably since the initial budget development. Several factors including supply chain uncertainty, continued cost inflation and instability in market participation and labour supply conflated to exert significant pressure on SmartTrack Stations Program delivery. The approval of funding from the province will ensure that the SmartTrack Stations program can proceed to construction.

The new stations are projected to bring approximately 110,000 new daily riders to the rail network by 2031 and reduce congestion on the roads and emissions throughout the region.