Clock ticking on lifespan of Line 2 subway

There was certainly no shortage of spending in the federal budget unveiled last week, but one Toronto project in dire need of federal cash wasn't there.

- MATT ELLIOTT

A request was made in 2022 for new trains to serve the Line 2 subway on Bloor Street and Danforth Avenue, but that was cancelled due to a lack of funding. It might be time for Ottawa to step up to keep things on the rails, Matt Elliott writes.

The absence is conspicuous. The potential consequences to service reliability and passenger safety on the TTC are serious.

Put it together, and it's time to ask the obvious question of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: Dude, where's our trains? Here's the situation. The trains serving the Line 2 subway that trundles along Bloor Street and Danforth Avenue are getting pretty darn old. Some in the fleet will celebrate their 30th birthday in 2026.

That's young for humans, but elderly for transit infrastructure. By design, hitting the dirty 30 should bring them to retirement age.

The TTC has been trying to replace them, but there's the not-so-small matter of the bill. A request for proposals was put out in 2022 to get the 55 new trains needed to serve the line plus another 25 trains to accommodate future ridership on Line 1 - but was cancelled due to a lack of federal and provincial funding. The latest cost estimate, according to a report to the TTC board, is $3.2 billion.