Mississauga mayoral candidate Bonnie Crombie is pledging to make a western extension of the TTC’s Line 2 subway into the city a priority, unveiling a plan to begin work toward a direct connection between Toronto’s subway network and the city centre.
Under the proposal, Crombie said she would work with the province, Metrolinx, the City of Toronto and the TTC to develop a joint business case for extending Line 2 west from Kipling Station through the Sherway Gardens area and into the heart of Mississauga.
The plan does not include a construction timeline or cost estimate. Instead, it focuses on advancing the planning required to determine whether the project is feasible and how it could be delivered.
If elected mayor, Crombie said she would convene meetings with government and transit partners within her first 100 days in office and seek federal participation in the planning process.
She also pledged to bring a motion before council within the same timeframe to formally launch Mississauga’s participation in a business case study and identify funding for the city’s share of planning work.
The plan
According to the proposal, the study would examine potential routes and station locations, including options serving Sherway Gardens and Mississauga City Centre. It would also assess connections to the Hazel McCallion Line, GO Transit, MiWay and the Mississauga Transitway.
Other areas of study would include projected ridership, travel-time savings, accessibility, housing and employment growth opportunities near stations, construction and operating costs, environmental impacts and requirements for integrating the extension with the TTC’s existing Line 2 network.
Crombie said she wants the jointly funded study underway within the first year of her term, with a goal of completing the initial business case within two years.
A key element of the proposal is a commitment to evaluate elevated sections along parts of the route rather than relying entirely on underground tunnelling.
Other transit projects to be prioritized
Crombie said the business case would compare elevated construction, tunnelling and hybrid options, examining factors such as project costs, construction timelines, service reliability, noise and impacts on surrounding communities.
The mayoral candidate also said a future funding and delivery agreement would need to determine which government or agency would lead the project, how costs would be shared and who would ultimately own, operate and maintain the extension.
While pursuing the subway proposal, Crombie said she would continue advocating for other transit improvements, including better bus service, completion of the Hazel McCallion Line and all-day, two-way GO Transit service on the Milton line.
The plan calls for regular public reporting on the project’s progress, including updates on spending, funding commitments and major decisions as planning work continues.
Mississauga’s municipal election will be held in less than a week on Oct. 26.
