Ontario seeks expedited federal transit funding

The Ontario government is seeking expedited approval from the Canadian government to fund an extension of the Yonge Subway Line in the greater Toronto area.

"For months, we've heard the federal government ask us to be quicker sending them projects for approval," said Ontario Minister of Infrastructure Monte McNaughton in a press release. "We have nominated our 54th project to the federal government. The ball is now in their court. We are looking to them to say yes so we can get shovels in the ground and get people moving."

Last week, McNaughton formally requested funding for the $5.6 billion project Yonge project that would extend the subway line about 4.6 miles north from the Finch Station in Toronto to the Richmond Hill Center in Richmond Hill. 

That request follows a list of four other projects sent for approval May 6, including the Ontario Line, the Bloor-Yonge capacity improvement project, the three-stop Scarborough Subway Extension and the SmartTrack Stations program.