Transit Toronto

The TTC is advising passengers that from 9 a.m. Thursday, December 12 until 3 p.m. Friday, December 13, it’s replacing streetcars with busesalong these routes:

• 312 St Clair overnight; and
• 512 St Clair

“due to streetcar infrastructure work” on St. Clair Avenue West west of Oakwood Avenue.

The transit agency hasn’t identified the precise location on St. Clair West where its crews are working.

The TTC is closing Line 1 Yonge - University subway between Sheppard - Yonge and St Clair stations earlier than usually, Monday, December 9 until Friday, December 13. Line 1 trains operate only between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and St Clair stations and between Finch and Sheppard - Yonge stations after 11 p.m. those days.

Shuttle buses partially replace subway service. The buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops near each station on the closed section of the line. TTC staff are available in each to station to direct you to the shuttle-bus boarding and offloading locations.

(Or, consider a shuttle-bus alternative.)

Lawrence Station is closed. All other stations on this section of Line 1 remain open so you load PRESTO cards, buy PRESTO tickets and connect to Line 4 Sheppard trains and other TTC buses and streetcars or GO Transit buses.

During construction at Lawrence Station, the TTC is closing the station bus terminal. Board buses at temporary stops on Lawrence Avenue West, instead of in the station bus terminal:

• eastbound at Yonge Street; and
• westbound at Lorindale Avenue (one block west of Yonge Street).

St Clair and Sheppard - Yonge are both accessible stations. The TTC is assigning two extra Wheel-Trans vehicles to operate in the area for any passenger needing an accessible ride. If you need an accessible connection at any station without an elevator, speak to any TTC employee for help or directions. All shuttle buses are accessible.

While this section of Line 1 is closed, TTC crews are maintaining the tracks. And, TTC contractors continue a project to rehabilitate the northbound platforms at Davisville Station, while the line is closed.

According to a TTC news release, “While the TTC does most subway maintenance at the conclusion of service each night, it continues to require weekend and early weeknight closures to complete critical infrastructure and state-of-good-repair work.”

The TTC is closing this part of Line 1 once more during December:

• Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15 — York Mills to St Clair — track work.

The TTC has announced details of its winter-readiness plan, as the transit agency gears up to ensure passengers and employees are safe, and its services are accessible and reliable throughout the season. In a news release, the TTC says, “During snowfall and winter storm events, [we urge] motorists to leave their cars at home and take transit.”

When winter weather hits Toronto, TTC crews spring into action in various ways to help keep passengers and transit vehicles moving. Measures to ensure service continuity during winter storms include:

• adding extra staff and vehicles;
• posting frequent social media and web updates to keep passengers informed; and
• introduce specific measures for each type of transit vehicle to keep buses, streetcars, subway trains and Wheel-Trans moving.

Buses

• Staff will monitor routes and may:

• take some or all of these bus stops out of service in areas where heavy snow and freezing rain cause buses to get stuck;
• replace articulated (“bendy”) buses with regular buses; and
• adjust service along express routes (except for buses along the 900 Airport express and 927 Highway 27 express routes), so that operators drop off or pick up passengers at all stops along the route so passengers aren’t left waiting for another bus .

Streetcars

• Crews will spray anti-icing on tracks, switches and the overhead wires across the streetcar network to prevent ice from forming.
• They’ll plow and salt streetcar tracks to keep the cars moving.
• Staff will monitor routes and may:

• supplement or replace streetcar service with buses along certain routes to allow more streetcars to operate downtown. This will help prevent ice from building up on switches and overhead wires;
• operate streetcars overnight to prevent snow and ice from building up on switches and tracks; and
• make sure that streetcar yard tracks, switches and overhead wires remain free of ice so streetcars can travel to their routes.

Stations

• Staff will clear snow and ice in front of the stations and apply salt to the ground to ensure a clear path at entrances and exits.
• They’ll apply sand on outdoor subway platforms and clear wet areas of the stations to prevent people from slipping.

Subway system

• Crews will spray anti-icing on subway switches throughout the system to keep them free of snow and ice.
• They may turn on power-rail heaters, if necessary.
• Some subway trains may be:

• operated overnight to keep the power rail and tracks clear of snow and ice.
• stored in tunnels throughout the system so that they can more easily enter service mornings.

Wheel-Trans

• Staff will:

• alert passengers when Environment Canada declares a severe-weather advisory and permit you to cancel your booked trips without deducting ‘Life Happens’ points;
• encourage passengers to take essential trips only, if possible; and
• designate all Family of Services trips as door-to-door, if necessary.

Collaboration with the City of Toronto

• TTC staff will communicate with the City’s Transportation Services team to keep crews aware of any issues on streets that may require extra plowing or salting.

Since fewer passengers — especially passengers travelling to and from colleges and universities — board GO Transit buses during the Christmas / New Year’s Day holidays, GO is temporarily adjusting bus service.

It’s decreasing service along these routes, starting Monday, December 9:

• 25 Waterloo / Mississauga; and
• 47 Hamilton / Vaughan.

GO is further decreasing service along its bus routes during the holidays, starting Saturday, December 21.

Holiday service ends and regular service resumes Saturday, January 4, 2025.

Santa Claus Parades, holiday markets and other seasonal events in the Bowmanville area of Clarington, the Jackson’s Point area of Georgina, the Long Branch and New Toronto areas of Toronto, the Port Perry area of Scugog Township, the Stoney Creek area of Hamilton, Stouffville, the Sutton area of Georgina, central Toronto and Whitby affect transit services this weekend.

The TTC is closing Line 1 Yonge - University subway between St Clair West and King stations Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8. Line 1 trains operate only between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and St Clair West stations and between Finch and King stations those days.

Shuttle buses partially replace subway service, stopping near all stations on the closed section of Line 1.

Although shuttle buses are accessible, Wheel-Trans is also available at each station and extra Wheel-Trans vehicles operate between St Clair West and Queen stations. Since King Station is not yet an accessible station, if you’re travelling southbound on Line 1 and need an accessible connection, exit the train at Queen Station and ask any TTC customer service employee for information and help.

While this part of the subway line is closed, TTC crews are maintaining and repairing the tracks. The TTC continues to upgrade station finishes at Queen’s Park and St. Patrick stations.

Dupont, Museum, Queens Park, St Patrick and Osgoode stations are closed. Note also that the TTC is closing the Kendal Avenue access at Spadina Station. All other stations on this section of Line 1 remain open to passengers so you can load PRESTO cards, buy PRESTO tickets or connect with TTC trains along Line 2 Bloor - Danforth, TTC streetcars and buses or GO Transit trains and buses.

According to a TTC news release, “While the TTC does most subway maintenance at the conclusion of service each night, it continues to require weekend and early weeknight closures to complete critical infrastructure and state-of-good-repair work.”

Metrolinx continues to upgrade the Stouffville rail corridor as part of the GO Expansion Program.

GO Transit is replacing trains with buses along the 71 Stouffville line Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8 to accommodate Metrolinx construction along the line. GO buses replace trains to travel to and from all stations along the line except Milliken, Agincourt and Kennedy GO stations.

GO buses operate along two branches:

• the 71E branch between Mount Joy GO Station and Union Station Bus Terminal, stopping at Markham, Centennial and Unionville GO stations; and
• the 71G branch between Old Elm GO Station and Union terminal, stopping at Stouffville, Mount Joy, Markham, Centennial and Unionville GO stations.

All buses operate express — without stopping — between Unionville and Union.

Board TTC trains and buses to travel to and from Milliken, Agincourt and Kennedy GO stations. York Region Transit buses also drop off or pick up passengers near Milliken.

Metrolinx contractors are building and maintaining tracks on the Stouffville corridor to make sure that trains operate safely and reliably. They are also focussing on updating key infrastructure for the Stouffville GO Expansion. They can only complete this work when trains aren’t operating.

GO again replaces trains with buses along the line next weekend — Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15.

Metrolinx and GO plan to accommodate more passengers and increase service along the Stouffville line, as part of their GO Expansion Program (formerly “regional express rail”).

Metrolinx is building the Ontario Line subway between Exhibition Place / Ontario Place and the area near the former Ontario Science Centre, through downtown Toronto.

To accommodate the future subway crews are working to expand Exhibition Station by building new station platforms and structural supports. They work entirely within the rail corridor between the tracks through Exhibition GO Station.

Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8, GO Transit decreases train service along the 01 Lakeshore West line to accommodate the work at Exhibition. Trains operate hourly between West Harbour GO Station and Union Station those days. GO is also adjusting the schedules, with some trains leaving stations earlier or late than usually. And, the times to connect with buses at certain stations may also change.

Trains

Saturday, December 7

Eastbound:

• The first train from West Harbour GO Station to Union Station starts its trip at 7:23 a.m. Trains operate hourly after the first train.
• The train that usually starts in Niagara Falls VIA Rail / GO Station at 4:04 p.m. to Union starts, instead, eight minutes earlier.
  
  • The train that usually starts in Niagara Falls at 9:06 p.m. to Union starts, instead, six minutes earlier.

Westbound:

• The first train from Union to West Harbour starts at 8:44 a.m. Trains operate hourly after the first train.
• Trains leaving Exhibition from 8:52 a.m. until 12:53 p.m. leave one minute later than usually
• The train that usually starts in Union at 6:21 p.m. to Niagara Falls starts, instead, seven minutes earlier.

Sunday, December 8

Eastbound:

• The first train from West Harbour to Union starts at 7:23 a.m. Trains operate hourly after the first train.
• The train that usually starts in Niagara Falls at 4:04 p.m. to Union starts, instead, eight minutes earlier.

Westbound:

• The first train from Union to West Harbour starts at 8:44 a.m. Trains operate hourly after the first train.
• Trains leaving Exhibition from 8:52 until 11:53 a.m. leave one minute later than usually.
• The train that usually starts in Niagara Falls at 4:04 p.m. to Union starts, instead, eight minutes earlier.

GO trains again operate hourly between West Harbour and Union Saturdays, December 14 and 21 and Sundays, December 15 and 22.

Buses

Passengers aboard buses along the 12 Niagara Falls / Burlington, 15 Brantford / Burlington and 18 Lakeshore West routes may connect with GO trains from eight minutes earlier to as much as 49 minutes later than usually.

At Exhibition, crews work entirely within the rail corridor between the tracks.

During “daytime” hours, from 5:30 a.m. until 10 p.m., they use drill rigs to build piles to support new station foundations and a new island platform between the tracks. The platform will increase GO capacity and serve the new Ontario Line at Exhibition Station.

During “nighttime” hours, from 10 p.m. until 5:30 a.m., they place rebar and pour concrete. Rebars provide durability, safety and longevity for the future Ontario-Line Exhibition Station platforms. Excavators will load materials (spoils) into dump trucks. The trucks will haul the spoils off-site and dispose of them. Concrete trucks will pour concrete to reinforce the pile.

The crews use construction equipment, including piling rigs, mobile cranes, concrete and hydrovac trucks during this work. When necessary, flag personnel will guide vehicles to and from sites, ensuring pedestrian, cyclist, and motorist safety.

During this phase of construction, vehicles access the rail-corridor work zone from the north side, along Jefferson Avenue and exit back onto Jefferson. They also use a secondary entry point from the south side, off Manitoba Drive, leading through an access under the Frederick G. Gardiner Expressway, exiting through the same routes.

Metrolinx will maintain pedestrian and passenger access through Exhibition GO Station to Liberty Village and Exhibition Place. Pedestrians and passengers may continue using the pedestrian bridge or accessible tunnel, during this closure.

Nearby residents and business people can expect to hear noise from piling rigs working in the active rail corridor. Crews will make sure dust and dirt don’t spread to city streets, and keep trucks and other equipment clean.

The TTC is advising passengers that, starting 11 p.m. Thursday, December 5, it’s detouring streetcars along several routes due to “streetcar infrastructure work”

• on Dundas Street West at Sterling Road.

Specifically, it’s detouring streetcars along these routes:

• 305 Dundas overnight;
• 306 Carlton overnight;
• 505 Dundas; and
• 506 Carlton.

Shuttle buses replace the cars west of Lansdowne Avenue. Shuttle buses operate along two routes:

• 305 / 505 Dundas; and
• 306 / 506 Carlton.

Streetcar-infrastructure work at Dundas West / Sterling and the resulting TTC detours continue until December 19 (4 a.m.)

The TTC is advising passengers that it is temporarily cancelling streetcar service along Kingston Road from 4 a.m. Monday, December 2 until 4 a.m. Saturday, December 7 “due to [City of] Toronto Water emergency repairs taking place at Bingham Loop.”

It’s detouring streetcars along these routes to temporarily operate along Queen Street East to and from Neville Park Loop:

• 303 Kingston Rd overnight; and
• 503 Kingston Rd.

Shuttle buses replace the cars between Victoria Park and Coxwell avenues.