TORONTO, July 23, 2026 – A long-awaited question for York Region commuters — when the subway will truly reach Markham and Richmond Hill — has taken another step forward. The federal and Ontario governments announced on July 23 that excavation of the launch shaft for the Yonge North Subway Extension tunnel boring machines has been completed. In the next stage, two large tunnel boring machines will depart from this site to begin digging about 6.3 kilometres of underground tunnels.
The Yonge North Subway Extension will extend the TTC Line 1 subway nearly eight kilometres north from its current terminus at Finch Station. The route will enter Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill, adding five new stations: Steeles, Clark, Royal Orchard, Bridge and High Tech. Once completed, Markham and Richmond Hill will be directly connected to Toronto’s subway network for the first time.
For York Region residents who have long relied on YRT, Viva or driving into Toronto, this is the most direct significance of the project. Many Richmond Hill and Markham residents currently need to take a bus to Finch Station before transferring to the subway to reach downtown Toronto. After the northern extension is complete, residents along the corridor will have more direct options to access Line 1.
Bridge Station, located in the northern section of the route, is planned as a new integrated transit hub that can connect to GO trains, GO buses, and regional and local bus services. High Tech Station will serve the future large-scale residential and commercial development around Richmond Hill Centre.
Officials estimate that once the full extension is in service, it will serve more than 94,000 riders each day and bring more than 23,000 jobs within walking distance of public transit. During construction, the project is expected to support about 4,300 jobs annually and generate more than $3.6 billion in economic activity for Ontario.
However, for daily commuters, there is still a long way to go before they can actually ride this subway extension.
What has been completed now is the excavation of the tunnel boring machine launch shaft. This means the main underground construction work is about to enter a more visible stage, but it does not mean the 6.3 kilometres of tunnels have already been completed, nor does it mean the subway will open soon. The next steps still include tunnel excavation, station construction, track and signal system installation, and testing.
The federal government has committed more than $2 billion to the Yonge North Subway Extension. Under current plans, the line will become an important north-south transportation corridor connecting Toronto and York Region. It is also seen as key infrastructure to support future population and housing growth in Richmond Hill and Markham.
For Chinese families in Markham and Richmond Hill, the project is no longer only about whether the subway will be built. The more important point is that the work is gradually moving into substantial construction. With two tunnel boring machines preparing to begin underground work, the long-discussed northern extension has taken another step toward becoming reality.（LJI by Yuanyuan）
