PM Justin Trudeau cuts ribbon to open Vaughan subway station
Host of dignitaries on hand to ride rocket on $3.2B, 6-stop extension

Yorkregion.com
Tim Kelly
Dec. 15, 2017

The public won't be able to ride it until the morning of Dec. 17, but the ribbon-cutting got the royal treatment for the new TTC subway extension to Vaughan the morning of Dec. 15, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on hand to do the honours.

The PM was joined by Premier Kathleen Wynne, Mayor John Tory, York Region Chairman Wayne Emmerson and Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua among others as the $3.2-billion, six-stop extension was a four-government collaboration involving Ottawa, the province, City of Toronto and Region of York.

Many years in the making, over budget and late on delivery, the subway system still marks a milestone in that it's the first time the Toronto Transit Commission has extended the subway beyond Toronto's borders. Three of the stops are in Vaughan.

Trudeau spoke of the importance of the subway after taking a ride with other VIPs to the York University stop.

"Folks who live in the suburbs will benefit from unprecedented accessibility to key downtown areas at a lower cost," he said.

"The new line will effectively improve the lives of millions of Ontarians."

Wynne paid tribute to former Vaughan MPP and Liberal cabinet minister Greg Sorbara, who was one of the main drivers of the subway project to Vaughan.

"When Greg Sorbara gets an idea, he gets the bit between his teeth," she said, as Sorbara took a bow.

"I felt the full force of that energy," said Wynne, who called Sorbara the "Energizer Bunny" behind the project.

"This new connection between suburban and urban areas will help create an even greater Toronto region," said Wynne.

The public opening of the subway is Dec. 17 at 7:50 a.m., when the first ride takes place from Vaughan Metropolitan Centre subway station. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at that time with Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca, who is also Vaughan MPP.

A ride from the new VMC subway station to Union station in downtown Toronto takes approximately 43 minutes, said the TTC.