Work has officially been completed on the excavation of the Yonge North Subway Extension’s tunnel launch shaft—the entry point for where two tunnel boring machines will begin digging 6.3 kilometers (3.9 miles) of tunnels for the subway extension.

The Yonge North Subway Extension will extend the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) Line 1 subway nearly eight kilometers (five miles) north, from Finch Station to Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill, Ontario. The expansion is set to move more than 94,000 riders daily and add five new stations to the subway line, including Steeles, Clark, Royal Orchard, Bridge and High Tech—putting more than 23,000 jobs within walking distance of transit, according to the government of Canada.

“Reliable, modern public transit is key to building connected and resilient communities,” said Canada Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Gregor Robertson. “We are partnering with provinces and territories to build the local infrastructure that our communities need. The Yonge North Subway Extension is exactly the sort of project that will help grow Toronto strong and shape the future of how we move and explore our community.”

Crews from North End Connectors—a consortium comprised of Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc., Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas Canada Ltd. and Ghella Canada Ltd.—have dug almost 70,000 cubic meters (91,556.5 cubic yards) of soil to prepare the tunnel launch shaft site, where two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will begin digging the extension’s twin tunnels. The launch shaft extends 10 meters (32.8 feet) below ground, requiring 11,000 cubic meters (14,387.5 cubic yards) of concrete and 860 metric tons of steel reinforcement to construct.

The government of Canada is investing over C$2 billion (US$1.4 billion) in the Yonge North Subway Extension. The government of Canada reports that the Yonge North Subway Extension is estimated to create approximately 4,300 jobs annually during construction, generate more than C$3.6 billion (US$2.6 billion) for Ontario’s economy and reduce emissions by more than 4,800 metric tons each year.

“Our government is making historic investments in public transit to protect Ontario’s economy and keep people moving in the face of tariffs and economic uncertainty,” said Ontario Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria. “The Yonge North Subway Extension will bring subway service to Markham and Richmond Hill for the first time ever and connect thousands of people to housing and good-paying jobs.”

The province of Ontario notes it recently issued a request for proposals to qualified teams for design and construction of the extension’s stations, tracks and support systems. Ahead of future tunnelling and station construction, crews are relocating utilities to make room for new infrastructure.