Beneath the City: A Firsthand Look at Ontario Line Construction

On July 22, I had the privilege of touring Ontario Line construction sites alongside Infrastructure Ontario's leadership—CEO Angela Clayton, Eric Tilley, Heather Grey-Wolf, Jody Becker, Board Chair David Lindsay, and Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay (former CEO of Infrastructure Ontario).

The highlight was descending 40 metres underground at King West Station to walk inside the tunnel itself. Standing in that cavern, surrounded by raw excavation, the scale of this project hit home in a way no briefing ever could. We also visited Exhibition Station, where a viewing platform offered a sweeping view of the site, and I watched a tunnel boring machine in action—a mesmerizing reminder of the engineering muscle behind this line.

What struck me most was the collaboration in the room. With Michael Lindsay now permanently leading Metrolinx after his tenure at IO, the alignment between the two agencies feels stronger than ever. Leaders didn't just observe—they asked hard questions about timelines, community impacts, and delivery risks.

The Ontario Line will bring nearly 230,000 more people within walking distance of rapid transit. Seeing the work firsthand—40 metres down and face-to-face with a TBM—I left with renewed confidence that this vision is becoming reality.