The Ontario government has announced the start of construction on the East Harbour Transit Hub in Toronto.

The new interchange station in the city’s east end will connect commuters across the Greater Toronto Area. It is projected to become the second busiest transit station in Toronto after Union Station.

Once complete, the hub will connect the Ontario Line subway with the Lakeshore East and Stouffville GO Transit lines, serving approximately 100,000 daily riders while substantially reducing crowding at Union Station.

“In the face of economic uncertainty, we are doubling down on our plan to build Ontario and deliver the largest expansion of public transit in North America,” said Premier Doug Ford. “We are protecting Ontario by getting shovels in the ground quicker on projects like the East Harbour Transit Hub, which will support economic growth, keep thousands of workers on the job and help commuters get where they need to go, when they need to get there.”

By linking the Lakeshore East and Stouffville GO lines with the new Ontario Line subway, the East Harbour Transit Hub will help to cut travel times, relieve congestion and create new opportunities for work and housing.

“Our government is investing in critical transit infrastructure to help tackle gridlock and reduce travel times,” said Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria. “The East Harbour Transit Hub will give commuters more options to get where they need to go and help protect Ontario by connecting more workers to good-paying jobs.”

The province awarded the contract for major construction of the hub in March to a joint venture of AtkinsRéalis and Bird Construction alongside design partner Hatch under an alliance contracting model. The project is expected to generate 8,300 jobs in the first 12 years of construction and delivery, among them drill rig operators, steel and concrete workers, form workers and crane and excavator operators.

As part of the government’s Transit-Oriented Communities initiative, the site is also anticipated to support thousands of new jobs and housing units in the neighbourhood, as well as day care, parkland, retail and recreation.

“We are getting Toronto moving,” said Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. “The East Harbour Transit Hub means 100,000 transit riders will get to their destinations faster. The Toronto region is growing rapidly, adding 270,000 new residents last year, and we are building hundreds of thousands of homes. Today’s announcement is an important step to invest in better transit networks, which will support our city’s growth. We are partnering with the province to create world-class public transit.”