The Ontario Line was supposed to cost $10.9 billion to build when plans were first unveiled in 2019. By 2022, costs had nearly doubled to almost $20 billion and in June of this year, the estimated costs were at approximately $29 billion as per Metrolinx’s State of the Network report.
In a press conference about the completion of tunneling for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay was asked about the latest contract awarded for the Pape tunnel and underground stations worth $4.32 billion, which would push the ever increasing costs to nearly $34 billion.
Lindsay said the budget is under pressure, but did not want to confirm a new total pending the finalization of one more contract.
“When the Ontario Line began as a project, we lived in a different world in respect to major capital project delivery… we’ve experienced one of the worst supply chain shocks in the last several decades, trade uncertainty,” he said by way of explanation for ballooning costs.
He added that there is a competitive bidding process for every single line item on the Ontario Line and when contracts are finalized, they are posted online which is “very exceptional from a transparency perspective.”
“There is one last package of the Ontario Line that still has to finalize its price through that same competitive process and that’s the elevated guideways and station component – once we have that in hand we will be able to stand back and do the math,” he said.
Lindsay added that “for what it’s worth” the direct costs of projects such as the Ontario Line continue to go up.
Construction of the new 16-kilometre subway line began back in March 2022 and isn’t expected to be completed until 2031 – four years later than originally planned.
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