As the testing and commissioning of the Finch West LRT line in northwest Toronto continues, apparent acts of vandalism along the eastern part of the corridor are raising questions about maintenance and how deficiencies are corrected.
Mohammed Khan spoke with CityNews about several glass wall panels that have been shattered at the future Sentinel, Tobermory and Driftwood stations while graffiti could be seen on some of the glass at Jane and Finch station.
Khan said he raised the issue with the Metrolinx Finch West LRT community office multiple times since the spring. He initially chalked up the many shattered glass walls to seasonal temperature changes and wind.
“Their response was very positive and reassuring and they reassured me that they will take a look and they will inspect and they’ll take action fairly quickly, and that didn’t necessarily happen,” Khan said.
“I have to give them credit for being very cooperative in that manner, but nonetheless talk is cheap; action speaks louder.”
A CityNews camera operator noticed the shattered glass at Tobermory station at the beginning of April. When a CityNews reported visited the scene recently, the same damaged panels still appeared to be untouched.
“The reason why I reported it is out of a concern about safety… anytime the glass can shatter and fall into a moving vehicle, fall into the road, and can be very hazardous for all users of the road,” Khan said.
“When these kinds of issues and inconveniences do not get addressed in a timely manner, then it creates a degree of frustration among residents, and so it kind of becomes difficult to achieve that level of acceptance and credibility for these kinds of projects.”
Tom Rakocevic, the Ontario NDP MPP for Humber River–Black Creek, said his office hasn’t received complaints about the damaged glass, but added he has seen it personally.
The questions are: was this anticipated when the line was being built? Have they put in design elements that would try to make vandalism harder to accomplish and certainly use materials that are hard to damage as well,” Rakocevic told CityNews.
“I hope that these things get fixed as soon as possible, and that going forward we ensure that it’s constructed in such a way that it’s hard to damage.”
He said his office has been dealing with complaints about traffic that appear to stem from work to correct deficiencies along Finch Avenue West. While going across the corridor, CityNews saw many curbs and sidewalks where it appeared fresh concrete had been poured.
“We’re months since the major construction has ended, and again, many times people wake up in the morning to find that Finch only has a single lane during a certain portion, and so what might take a 10-minute trip could take double or triple that time just because of those bottlenecks,” Rakocevic said.
CityNews contacted Metrolinx multiple times since Monday and asked for an on-camera interview at any time or date throughout the past week to discuss issues involving maintenance and the Finch West LRT project as a whole. A Metrolinx media relations office spokesperson said Thursday afternoon that no one was available due to “scheduling conflicts.”
Khan recently posted a message on X about the issues with the station platforms and tagged the Finch West LRT X account. The public message got a response a few days later.
“Our project team is in the process of identifying a solution to the affected panels which was caused by vandalism. If you have any questions, you can reach out to the Finch West LRT community office,” the response said in part.
In response to follow-up written questions sent by CityNews on Friday, the Metrolinx spokesperson said safety glass was added to the panels so each one “remains in one piece if broken.” They added that all panels will be replaced and the costs of “remedial work are covered under the existing project budget.
CityNews also contacted the Toronto Police Service to ask about a potential investigation into the vandalism. A spokesperson said an early search didn’t show anything, adding they would need more details about the initial report to provide an update. The Metrolinx spokesperson said the incidents were reported to police, but didn’t disclose when that happened. It’s also not clear if station surveillance cameras captured when the glass shattered at each platform.
“We have to be responsible as taxpayers and citizens. It is our money that is being spent to … create this infrastructure, so it’s really important that we take responsibility to preserve them and protect them,” Khan said, adding it shouldn’t just be on government entities alone to thwart vandalism.
When it comes to the current traffic issues related to correcting deficiencies, the Metrolinx spokesperson confirmed these were identified during “rigorous” inspections. They said the costs of “remedial work are covered under the existing project budget.”
“This can result in areas being identified for remedial works which our constructor is working to address. We understand this work can result in temporary lane closures and we regularly work with our constructor to reduce impacts,” the statement said, adding that construction notices are posted online.
Meanwhile, this all comes amid lingering frustration about delays in opening the line. The most recent hiccup came in August 2024 when Mosaic Transit Group filed a lawsuit against the Ontario government amid a contract dispute. When asked for an update on the lawsuit, the Metrolinx spokesperson said they were “not able to comment on legal matters as they are ongoing.”
Construction on 18-stop line running between Finch West subway station and the Humber Polytechnic North campus on Highway 27 south of Finch Avenue West began in 2019 and was supposed to be done by the end of 2023. The tendering process started in 2015 under the previous provincial Liberal government and a contract was signed weeks before the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario came to power in 2018.
“We need some clear timelines, and we need reasons as to why it’s been delayed so long,” August Puranauth, a spokesperson for the passenger advocacy group TTCriders, said.
“Riders right now are riding the Finch West bus; It’s overcrowded. It’s stuck in traffic, and people are looking out the window and you’re seeing this complete LRT line next to them. Riders need answers.”
It’s a sentiment Rakocevic shared.
“I live here too. Definitely we do hear from people asking again, ‘When is this going to end? When is it going to finally open?” he said.
“People have had to go through a lot. I mean, we’ve seen things like a garage collapse, a flooded daycare … there have been claims that are made throughout the process. There have been accidents and a lot of things that have happened over the course of this.”
CityNews asked Metrolinx staff about the current projected opening timeframe for the Finch West LRT. A potential timeframe wasn’t given.
“Progress continues to be made on the Finch West LRT, with testing and commissioning still underway on the project. As noted previously, we need to have confidence that key milestones are being met, and once we have a date, we will share that with the public,” the response from the media relations office said.
Despite the delays, all three echoed the benefits the line will eventually bring.
“This transit project was promised to bring more reliable and frequent and more accessible service to communities along Finch Avenue,” Puranauth said.
“There are tens and tens of thousands of transit trips along the line, so when the LRT is finally done i t’s going to take so [many] of the buses off of this stretch … it should have a huge impact for transit riders and, of course, drivers alike,” Rakocevic said.
“Having this higher-order transit that can carry more passengers at a faster pace and more frequently will be a game-changer for the commute,” Khan added.
With files from Dan Berry
