Ontario, Toronto, and York Region Reach Agreements in Principle on Subway Program
On July 25, 2024, Toronto City Council approved the Ontario-Toronto Transit Partnership Subway Program Agreement in Principle (AIP), representing a significant step forward in transit expansion for the City of Toronto.???
Back in 2019, Ontario unveiled a $28.5 billion initiative known as the New Subway Transit Plan for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The historic plan focuses on four major subway projects aimed at improving transit in Toronto and the surrounding region:
The AIP builds on the foundation established by the Ontario-Toronto Transit Partnership Preliminary Agreement (PA) executed in 2020, which laid the groundwork for the delivery of priority subway projects and collaborative implementation.??
The AIP represents the culmination of negotiations between municipal and provincial representatives, offering a detailed framework for planning, funding, delivering, operating, and maintaining the priority subway projects. ?
Following approval, the City signed the AIP on September 4, while York Region had finalized its AIP on August 24, emphasizing the extensive scope and intricate nature of this partnership work.
MTO officially announced the execution of both agreements through its social media channels this week, with the York Region-specific announcement made on September 10 and the Toronto-specific post on September 12.
The execution of these agreements signifies the start of a new era of collaboration between the Province and municipal partners, establishing a cohesive approach to subway expansion in Toronto and York Region across all levels of government, and paving the way for the next phases of project delivery and future agreements.?