Metrolinx provides update on Yonge North Subway Extension (YNSE) to Vaughan city council

Project remains on track, Metrolinx representatives say

Yorkregion.com
June 16, 2023
Brian Capitao

The Yonge-North Subway Extension (YNSE) is making steady progress.

Representatives from Metrolinx appeared before city council on Tuesday, June 6., to provide a project update.

Metrolinx claims that the YNSE is keeping pace. Milestones include the early work development for Finch station to allow for major construction to begin, beginning at the Langstaff Gateway area to start advance tunnelling, and request for qualifications have opened up for advance tunnelling.

The company claims that YNSE will carry 94,000 daily riders in a rapid connection between York Region and Toronto, saving each rider up to 22 minutes on their commute to downtown Toronto.

Bridge station will provide a pivotal role as a transit hub. While located in the cities of Markham and Richmond Hill, it is a direct connection to the HWY 7 west bus rapid transit (BRT), which will bring residents to and from Vaughan and the connections surrounding the area, according to Metrolinx project sponsor Stephen Collins.

One of the things brought before city council was the new special designation of Transit Corridor Lands (TCL) under the Building Transit Faster Act, which gives Metrolinx special permissions to access private property within TCL for preview inspection and environmental surveying.

Under the Building Transit Faster Act, 2020, Metrolinx must notify property owners and occupants that the land they are on is on or within 30 metres of the designated TCLs.

City council had questions for Metrolinx surrounding parking and funding. Collins mentions prioritizing sustainable methods of transit first by asking riders to “leave the car at home” and prioritizing non-auto modes and integrating various transit services at Bridge station.

Existing parking will be maintained; however, Collins mentions that Metrolinx “will never be able to keep up with the demand for parking” based on the service increase of the subway and GO rail network.

“I can certainly appreciate the challenges with parking, but certainly drop-off and pickup from Uber and ride-share programs is a big mistake. They’re just going to be dropping off people on the streets. They’re not going to go from Clark and Yonge all the way to Richmond Hill just because they have a Kiss-and-Ride there,” said city councillor Gila Martow.

“I think it’s also not very friendly to older people and people with mobility challenges, not everybody can walk and wait, and take a bus and get up and down,” added Martow.