Ontario completes final testing for Finch West LRT

Key Takeaways:

• The Ontario government has completed the Revenue Service Demonstration for the 11-kilometre Finch West Light Rail Transit line, a major step before the TTC assumes full operational control by Nov. 3, 2025.
• Once open, the zero-emission Line 6 will carry up to 51,000 passengers daily and 12 million annually by 2031, offering faster commutes and connections to TTC, GO Transit, MiWay, York Region Transit, and Brampton Züm.
• The province is advancing several linked projects, including the Mount Dennis GO and UP Station (opening Nov. 16, 2025) and improvements at Eglinton West Station, while the Eglinton Crosstown LRT nears its own operational testing phase.

The Whole Story:

The Ontario government has completed the Revenue Service Demonstration for the Finch West Light Rail Transit, marking a key milestone ahead of the Toronto Transit Commission’s assumption of full operational control no later than Nov. 3, 2025.

The TTC will determine the opening date as it trains staff and prepares to launch the new light rail service. The line, also known as Line 6 Finch West, is expected to move more than 51,000 passengers each weekday, with 12 million annual trips projected by 2031.

The 11-kilometre line runs on a dedicated, primarily street-level track from Finch West Station—an interchange with TTC Line 1—to Humber Polytechnic’s North Campus. It includes two stations and 16 stops, providing rapid transit to communities along Finch Avenue West and across the Greater Toronto Area.

“We are excited that the Finch West LRT’s revenue service demonstration has successfully passed,” said Michael Lindsay, president and CEO of Metrolinx, in a statement. “This is a significant milestone for the project, which brings it closer to an opening date that will benefit the 51,000 daily riders expected to use the line.”

The zero-emissions vehicles can hold up to 300 passengers and achieve speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour. Once operational, the line will offer connections to TTC buses, GO Transit, MiWay, York Region Transit and Brampton Züm.

Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation, said in a news release that “the Finch West LRT will cut commute times for hundreds of thousands of riders every week, connect to transit services across the region and create new economic opportunities along the line.”

Ontario completed all stations and stops for the Finch West LRT in fall 2024. The project began construction in 2019.

The province is also preparing to open the Mount Dennis GO and UP Station on Nov. 16, 2025, connecting riders to GO Transit’s Kitchener Line and UP Express. Eglinton West Station will open its fare-free underground pathway under Eglinton Avenue West, which will reduce congestion at the intersection of Eglinton Avenue West and Allen Road.

The Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit is currently undergoing its own revenue service demonstration. Upon successful completion, it will also be turned over to the TTC in preparation for passenger service launch.