Starting May 1, a busy section of Queen Street in downtown Toronto will be closed to all vehicle traffic for approximately four and a half years due to the construction of the Ontario Line subway extension. The closure will span from Bay Street to Yonge Street, near the south end of the Toronto Eaton Centre, and from Yonge Street to Victoria Street, just west of St. Michael’s Hospital. In addition, James Street, which runs north-south between Old City Hall and the Eaton Centre, will also be closed between Queen and Albert Streets.
Metrolinx, the transit agency overseeing the project, stated that the closure is necessary for the safe and efficient construction of the much-needed Ontario Line subway project. Despite the closure, the agency assures transit users that there will be consistent access to the downtown core, with modified streetcar service on the 501 Queen Street route. Streetcars will detour onto Dundas Street at McCaul Street in the west and Broadview Avenue in the east. A more permanent modified 501 route that will run along Adelaide and Richmond streets is also in the works, but won’t be completed for another 10 months.

Although the Queen Street sidewalks will remain open to pedestrians, some downtown business owners worry that the years-long construction may impact their bottom line. The Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) expressed concern about the impact on local communities and the potential delay of the project’s completion. Metrolinx acknowledges the challenges of building new transit projects in densely populated urban areas and has partnered with the City, TTC, utility companies, and others to ensure a coordinated approach to managing traffic impacts. The agency will also establish a community liaison committee to minimize impacts on businesses and communities.
Once completed, the Ontario Line will accommodate nearly 400,000 daily trips and reduce crowding on the TTC’s busy Line 1 by up to 15 percent. The 15-stop, 15.6-kilometer Ontario Line will run from Exhibition Place through the downtown core along Queen Street before heading north to the Ontario Science Centre.