The Ontario government has announced the start of construction on the first of three stations for the Scarborough Subway Extension.

The construction of the Scarborough Subway Extension is expected to keep 3,000 workers on the job each year and bring rapid transit to 38,000 people commuters across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

The project will extend the TTC’s Line 2 subway service 7.8 kilometres farther into Scarborough, from Kennedy Station to Sheppard Avenue and McCowan Road. The extension is projected to accommodate an estimated 105,000 daily trips, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10,000 tonnes annually.

“The Scarborough Subway Extension will be a game changer for the people of Scarborough, making it easier than ever before for commuters to get around quickly and conveniently,” said Transport Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria.

Crews have started piling work at Scarborough Centre Station, which will accommodate more than 10,000 passengers and facilitate over 7,000 transfers during rush hour once complete. The station will also include a new bus terminal with passenger pickup and drop-off spaces so riders can easily transfer between local buses and the new subway line.

Scarborough Centre Station will be a major hub for the region, seamlessly connecting the subway with the GO Transit bus network and other local services. By making it easier to connect across the GTA, this new interchange will open up more economic opportunities and shorten travel times for nearly 30,000 students and staff at Centennial College Progress Campus and the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus.