Revenue service demonstration reaches completion on the Finch West Light Rail line

The government of Ontario has finished revenue service demonstration for the Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT), the government noting it’s expected to bring 230,000 more people within walking distance of transit. With the final 30-day “dry run” complete, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) will take over the line in early November with an expected opening date to come as the TTC trains staff and prepares to launch the new light-rail service.

“Our government is delivering on our promise to protect Ontario by building the transit our growing province needs,” said Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria. “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.”

The Line 6 Finch West includes two stations and 16 stops. It’s expected to move more than 51,000 riders each weekday. It runs on a dedicated, primarily street-level track, connecting communities along Finch Avenue West and across the Greater Toronto Area with rapid transit.

The Line 6 Finch West will offer passengers connections to local and regional transit, including TTC buses, GO Transit, MiWay, York Region Transit and Brampton Züm.

The Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (ECLRT) is in the process of undergoing its own revenue service demonstration. After completing this phase, the ECLRT will also be controlled by the TTC ahead of the launch of passenger service.

"We are excited that the Finch West LRT’s revenue service demonstration  has successfully passed,” said Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay “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 TTC is to define a first day of service in the next few days."

The current government has made a number of changes to cut red tape, speed up and bring predictability to the construction of transit projects like ECLRT after its slow trek to the finish line from its start in 2011. This streamlined process was also applied to the Finch West LRT, which began construction in 2019, and are helping the government deliver the largest expansion of public transit in North America. These changes include:

• Using simpler, proven signal and power systems from other LRT projects to reduce design complexity and technical risk, making delivery, testing and commissioning smoother. 
• Working collaboratively with building partners to identify critical funding for testing and commissioning and ensuring claims and legal barriers do not impact this process.
• Onboarding the maintenance provider earlier in the process to ensure the fleet and line are ready for service sooner.

On Nov. 16, the government is set to open the Mount Dennis GO and UP Station, providing connection for riders to GO Transit’s Kitchener Line and UP Express. Further, Eglinton West Station will also open its fare-free underground pathway under Eglinton Avenue West, a move the government notes will reduce congestion at the intersection above and help pedestrians navigate the intersection. The ECLRT stations at Mount Dennis and Eglinton West will open later, at which point Eglinton West Station will be renamed Cedarvale Station.