Ontario issues RFQ to design, build new subway stations

Key Takeaways:

• Ontario and Metrolinx have issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) to select partners for the detailed design and construction of five new stations for the Yonge North Subway Extension, expanding Line 1 by eight kilometres into York Region.
• the RFQ covers station construction, track and signal installation, utility relocations, and Finch Station upgrades, with stations designed to prioritize safety, accessibility, and connectivity to bus, GO train, cycling, and pedestrian networks.
• The extension will improve access for 26,000 residents and 22,900 job opportunities, cut travel times by up to 22 minutes, and support about 4,300 construction jobs annually.

The Whole Story:

The Ontario government and Metrolinx have issued a request for qualifications to find partners to design and build five new stations for the Yonge North Subway Extension, which will extend TTC Line 1 subway service approximately eight kilometres north from Finch Station into York Region.

The RFQ covers detailed design and construction of the five new stations, along with installation of tracks, signals, and support systems. The work package also includes construction of emergency exit buildings and a train storage facility, utility relocation work, and modifications at Finch Station to connect the extension to existing TTC Line 1 service.

Interested companies can submit qualifications and expertise through the RFQ, posted on MERX as part of Infrastructure Ontario’s standard procurement process. Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario will review submissions and create a shortlist of qualified companies invited to submit full bids through a subsequent request for proposals.

The five new stations will be located in Toronto, Vaughan, Markham, and Richmond Hill. Three stations—Steeles, Clark, and Royal Orchard—will be built underground, while Bridge and High Tech stations will be at surface level. According to Metrolinx, the stations will feature “efficient, modern layouts that prioritize safety and accessibility,” with wide concourses, escalators, elevators, natural light, and clean lines. Each station will include connections to buses, GO trains (at Bridge Station), cycling, and pedestrian routes.

Conceptual renderings of the five stations have been released, serving as a starting point for future project partners to refine designs while following Metrolinx guidelines and standards.

The extension is expected to bring transit closer to 26,000 more people and 22,900 more job opportunities while reducing travel times by up to 22 minutes. During construction, the project is projected to support as many as 4,300 jobs annually.

With a tunnelling contract recently awarded, both major contracts required to deliver the extension are now in motion. Work has already begun to prepare for excavation of the launch shaft, where tunnel boring machines will begin digging. Utility relocations are underway along the line, and early upgrades have been completed at Finch Station to prepare for the connection to existing TTC Line 1 service.