Text by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos

The newest TTC garage was opened on November 23, 2008. Mount Dennis Bus Garage is located on Industry Rd in the Eglinton Avenue West & Weston Road area, on the site of the old Feranti-Packard building. It was supposed to open in October 2007, but was delayed due to budget issues.

Growing Demand

After the closure of the former Lansdowne garage in 1996, the TTC sought to bounce back ridership after its decline in the 1990s. The Commission considered and approved a confidential TTC staff report dated August 28, 2002, with regard to the acquisition of a future bus garage in the western part of the City. The City took control of the former Feranti-Packard building on 121 Industry Street on August 19, 2004.

Feranti-Packard was an electrical grid supplier established in 1958 that was used to make transformers. Adjacent to the original building, two other buildings were later added and the whole complex was eventually converted into a major film studio which was used to help make Chicago, Johnny Johnny Mnemonic and K19: The Widowmaker. Only one building now remains active; the large warehouse which is currently being used by Maple Leaf to store firelogs.

The Commission approved construction of Mount Dennis Division in October 2004. The 23,000-square-metre facility would have a capacity of 250 buses and include provisions for future articulated buses.

Construction begins and commissioning

Official groundbreaking for the new $78.5 million facility took place on August 18, 2005 with members of all three levels of government in attendence. Construction began in the winter of 2006. The garage was due to open in September 2007, however the city’s cash crunch meant the opening would be deferred to the following year.

The $99.2 million Mount Dennis garage officially opened on December 11, 2008, though operations began on November 23, 2008 coincident with new peak level service improvements on over 113 routes.

On May 29, 2010, Mount Dennis was the site for Doors Open Toronto 2010.

Features

The garage incorporates repair and service bays, paint and body shops, hoist and inspection pits and a parts and materials storage area.

The 253,759 square-foot area facility has 16 40-ft/60-ft hoists, 4 vehicle cleaning stations, and one steam cleaning room. The garage services a fleet of 150 OBI - ORION VII LF HYB, 53 DBNA - ORION VII LF HYB, 25 PTRA CATALYST BE40 BEV and 56 NOVA LFS 60102 ARTIC vehicles.

Routes

As of February 12, 2023, Mount Dennis Division serves the routes:

• 14 GLENCAIRN
• 28 BAYVIEW SOUTH
• 29 DUFFERIN
• 32 EGLINTON WEST
• 35 JANE
• 41 KEELE
• 45 KIPLING
• 79 SCARLETT ROAD
• 161 ROGERS ROAD
• 168 SYMINGTON
• 171 MOUNT DENNIS
• 174 ONTARIO PLACE-EXHIBITION
• 300 BLOOR-DANFORTH NIGHT
• 320 YONGE NIGHT
• 329 DUFFERIN NIGHT
• 332 EGLINTON WEST NIGHT
• 335 JANE NIGHT
• 341 KEELE NIGHT
• 929 DUFFERIN EXPRESS
• 935 JANE EXPRESS
• 941 KEELE EXPRESS
• 945 KIPLING EXPRESS

Mount Dennis Garage Image Archive

	When Mount Dennis garage threw open its doors for Doors Open 2010, it treated visitors to this image of several TTC buses mounted on hoists. Photo courtesy Loozrboy.
	Another shot of buses in the repair barn receiving maintenance. This photo was made by Roman Fomin during TTC public tour on August 14, 2010.
	The last of the Mohicans. Mount Dennis garage was the last place for iconic "Fishbowls" to have a rest in before being scrapped in Hillcrest Complex. All of them have been recently taken out of service after decades of work in Toronto Transit Commission. In this photo, GM TC40-102N buses ##6223 and 6221 share the backyard of Mount Dennis with GM "New Look" ##2265, 2855, 2444, 2299, 2271, 2266, 2280, 2472, 2302 buses at sunset. This photo was taken by Roman Fomin on December 18, 2011.
	A view of the bays at the north end of Mount Dennis garage, as seen from the 171 MOUNT DENNIS bus. This photo was taken on June 14, 2011 by James Bow.