Passengers in northwest Toronto have been utilizing the Line 6 Finch West LRT for nearly eight-and-a-half months. However, after extensive construction to prepare the corridor for trains, construction crews are once again digging up infrastructure along parts of the line. Despite the line's operational status, ongoing issues have caused frustrations among residents and passengers.
Recently, CityNews traveled between Finch West and Humber College stations, the eastern and western ends of the 11-kilometer and 18-stop line. They observed several areas where construction crews were removing sidewalks that had been rebuilt in recent years specifically for the LRT line. At the southeast corner of Driftwood Avenue and Finch Avenue West, a crew was seen digging up large sidewalk segments and placing rubble on the nearby bike lane. This site had been previously visited in 2023, when it appeared that construction was primarily finished; however, as of 2025, pylons and stacked fencing were still present in the same area. Nearby, a ramp structure with stairs seemed relatively unchanged from the previous year.
North York resident Alex Thomas expressed his concern to CityNews, stating, “It’s a bit tiring and unsafe,” while pointing out malfunctioning crosswalk buttons at the location and at Tobermory Drive. Thomas further remarked, “I don’t know what to make of it,” reflecting the frustrations of many residents.
At Pearldale Station, located east of Islington Avenue, active construction zones persist with multiple sidewalk segments being replaced—a task that had similarly been completed just a few years earlier. Throughout the entire corridor, CityNews found various issues upon closer inspection, including newly formed concrete and blocked bike and vehicle lanes due to cones placed without a clear purpose. A construction crew was also observed watering a long, yellow segment of dried grass near Sentinel Road and Finch Avenue West.
CityNews attempted to request an on-camera interview with Metrolinx regarding the current site conditions across the Finch West corridor. However, similar to previous inquiries concerning other major projects overseen by the provincial transportation agency, a spokesperson stated that no one was available, opting instead to issue a statement. According to Metrolinx, “Final completion activities to surrounding infrastructure are currently underway in several areas along Line 6. This is work that could not have been accomplished in the winter months.”
Construction on the Finch West LRT project began in 2018 under the previous Liberal government and was managed by Mosaic Transit Group, the private-sector consortium responsible for building and maintaining the line. The line officially opened to riders on December 7, 2025. As indicated by Metrolinx, the system was expected to cost $2.5 billion, encompassing construction costs and maintenance for 30 years. However, a report from the provincial agency's board indicated that, as of September 30, 2025, costs had reached $2.45 billion, with the current baseline cost standing at $3.75 billion.
Tom Rakocevic, the MPP for Humber River–Black Creek and Ontario NDP shadow minister for transit, expressed his frustration with the continuing construction. He stated, “I can’t believe that nine months after the community waited so many long years for this project to finally finish, we still continue to see construction.” Rakocevic criticized the abrupt appearance of pylons that reduce traffic to a single lane and stated, “The community deserves better,” insisting that the construction should finally conclude.
Rakocevic's criticisms extended to the Ford government and Metrolinx, noting, “We still see cost overruns on every single project. We still see delays.” He called for a public inquiry, reflecting growing concerns from residents that these ongoing construction issues are symptomatic of larger systemic problems within provincial infrastructure projects. Noah Jarvis, the Ontario director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the repeated waste of taxpayer resources, stating, “It seems like, once again, Metrolinx is making poor planning decisions.”
In light of these ongoing issues, CityNews conducted informal tests of trip times on the Line 6 Finch West LRT. During a recent midday test, a westbound trip was completed in less than 44 minutes, with the return trip taking just over 41 minutes. Despite earlier complaints regarding trip times, officials indicated that travel times had improved by approximately 15 minutes since the line's opening. Moreover, enhanced transit signal priority measures have reportedly been installed at all street-level intersections along the line.
As of late May, the City’s transportation services general manager acknowledged ongoing monitoring of conditions along the LRT corridor to identify further enhancements to LRT operations. They stated, “Line 6 Finch (West) has continued to deliver operational gains since launch.” Meanwhile, a TTC spokesperson noted that driver familiarity and real-time line management have contributed to improved travel times.
