Ontario has finally passed the keys for the C$12.8-billion Eglinton Crosstown to the Toronto Transit Commission, confirming that the 19-kilometre light-rail line should open in early 2026 after 15 years of construction.
The province says all safety testing is complete and trains will now run under TTC control while the agency sets a launch date. When full service begins, riders are promised three-and-a-half-minute headways between Mount Dennis and Kennedy Station and operating hours from 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.
Premier Doug Ford framed the hand-off as a necessary pause, saying, “I’d rather wait and get it done properly, God knows we only waited 15 years for this.”
Audit calls shadow bonus debate
The political spotlight now shifts to Metrolinx. In mid-October, Scarborough Liberal MPP Andrea Hazell formally asked Ontario’s auditor general for a value-for-money probe into the Crosstown and seven other megaprojects, citing ballooning costs and “opaque decision-making.” Watching the TTC take control strengthens the case, because any lingering technical fixes will land on municipal shoulders while provincial planners move to the next file.
At Queen’s Park the question is simple, even if the answer is not: should Metrolinx executives collect performance pay while riders still wait for trains? New permanent chief executive Michael Lindsay earns C$686,566 and may receive up to 20 percent more in an annual bonus, but only after a board review that weighs project delivery. Board chair Dan Wright said Lindsay’s interim stint showed “proven ability to inspire the team and drive progress,” yet there is no public sign that bonuses will be paid this fiscal year.
Auditors have examined Metrolinx before, pointing to weak planning mandates and shifting government demands that forced costly redesigns. A fresh review could clarify how much of Crosstown’s six-year delay rests with contract disputes, software flaws, or provincial oversight. For Bay Street credit desks, that forensic detail matters: Metrolinx carries more than C$10-billion in bonds, and rating agencies watch schedule risk closely.
For now, treasury officials say the agency’s compensation decisions will follow its existing framework, meaning no payout until performance targets are met, and Lindsay’s first review is not due until mid-2026. That leaves the bonus pot untouched and pressure squarely on Metrolinx to turn testing milestones into passenger service while the auditor decides whether to reopen the books.
When trains finally roll, the TTC expects a six-month ramp-up to full capacity. Riders along Eglinton will gain a crosstown journey in under 40 minutes, and investors will gain a long-awaited case study in the true cost of megaproject delay. Whether that journey also delivers a clean audit and zero bonuses is a stop still to come.
