Here's what the Ontario Line will look like in Toronto's east end

The Ontario Line won’t be a reality for quite some time, but new renderings provide a look at how the new transit line will be laid out in Toronto’s east end.

The Ontario Line is set to span 16 kilometres between Exhibition Place and the Ontario Science Centre, with 15 stops on the route. After originally being scheduled for completion in 2027, that date was pushed back late last year to 2030.

The proposed route for an eastern portion of the line running from Riverside to Leslieville sparked concern for some community members earlier this year when issues were raised about whether the layout would encroach on and effectively destroy adjacent local parks.

Metrolinx

On Wednesday, Metrolinx published a blog post addressing these concerns and shared renderings of how the line will be laid out next to existing GO tracks.

The Ontario Line tracks will run on the west side of the GO corridor, with one eastbound and one westbound track. According to Metrolinx, the new line won’t affect local parks, with the new tracks fitting “almost entirely within the property boundaries of the existing rail corridor where trains run today.” They go on to add that “Metrolinx will ensure no parks are lost.”

Metrolinx

The designs also show that a new noise barrier will be built, which Metrolinx says coupled with an electrified rail system will lower noise in the area.

“Ontario Line trains will be quieter, electric-powered trains and many GO trains will also be electric-powered,” the blog post reads.

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Metrolinx

Plans for the rail corridor are not yet set in stone, and Metrolinx is planning to hold a series of virtual open houses this month to get feedback from the communities where the new line will run. Each open house will focus on a different segment of the line.

The open houses will be held on the following dates:

• Thursday, June 10 – West segment: Exhibition, King/Bathurst, Queen/Spadina
• Thursday, June 17 – Downtown segment: Osgoode, Queen, Moss Park, Corktown
• Thursday, June 24 – East segment: East Harbour, Leslieville/Riverside, Gerrard
• Wednesday, June 30 – North segment: Pape, Cosburn, Thorncliffe Park, Flemingdon Park, Science Centre