First of Toronto's new streetcars begin service

The first of 60 new Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) streetcars officially entered service Nov. 17, with an inaugural run on the 504 King route.

Alstom is producing the new vehicles at its plant in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The remaining streetcars will be delivered during the rest of this year and into 2024 and 2025.

The new streetcars are jointly funded by CA$568 million in contributions from the federal, Ontario and Toronto governments, according to a TTC press release.

The TTC's 2023-2032 capital budget and plan includes the streetcar program, consisting of the 60 additional low-floor streetcars and the reconfiguring of the Hillcrest Complex to accommodate the storage of at least 25 streetcars. The program is essential to ensuring the TTC can meet future ridership growth and demand over the coming years, commission officials said.