As part of the City’s transit expansion, the Eglinton East LRT (EELRT) will bring higher order transit to historically underserved areas of Scarborough including eight Neighbourhood Improvement Areas, and create more transportation options in eastern Scarborough by conveniently connecting to other rapid transit services including Line 2, Line 5, the Line 3 Busway, GO Transit and the proposed Sheppard Extension and proposed Durham Scarborough BRT (DSBRT). The EELRT is also referred to as the TTC future Line 7.
The EELRT is more than a transit project. It is a transformative opportunity to bring significant public realm improvements throughout eastern Scarborough.
In addition to improved transit, the EELRT (future Line 7) will bring extensive public realm improvements along the route informed by the City’s Complete Streets guidelines and design principles which will include protected bikeways, wider sidewalks, multi-use paths, new and extended roadways, and greenery.
Light Rail Transit (LRT) is a form of rapid transit that operates electric vehicles, usually powered by overhead cables. Modern LRT is designed to run faster than transit in mixed traffic by using exclusive or semi-exclusive guideways. The EELRT will operate in the centre of the roadway on its own dedicated guideway.
The benefits of LRT include:
An example of an LRT from Finch West LRT. The vehicle is 48 metres long, has a seating capacity of 120 passengers and a maximum capacity of 292 passengers.
The proposed route alignment of the Eglinton East LRT (EELRT / future Line 7) is an expansion of the approved Scarborough-Malvern LRT Environmental Assessment (EA) that was completed in 2009 for Transit City and further consulted on between 2017 and 2019 as part of a proposed Scarborough Transit Network Plan. The current plan provides expanded rapid transit access east of Kennedy Station, through the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus as well as to Malvern via Sheppard Avenue and including McCowan Road.
In December 2023, City Council approved staff recommendations for the alignment (route) and stop locations for the Eglinton East Light Rail Transit project. Next steps include the initiation of an environmental assessment specific to public transit projects known as Transit and Rail Project Assessment Process Regulation (Ontario Regulation 231/08).
The process has a time-limited, streamlined opportunity to assess potential environmental impacts and proposed mitigation measures. As part of the process, an Environmental Project Report (EPR) is being prepared that includes detailed studies and evaluation of the potential project impacts as well as proposed measures to mitigate the impacts. The process involves an assessment period that can last up to 185 days, which includes opportunities for public feedback, and a 35-day period of review by the provincial Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).
The Transit and Rail Project Assessment Process ensures that project impacts are communicated to the public and that the public has an opportunity to ask questions and provide comments and feedback on project benefits and impacts.
The Transit and Rail Project Assessment Process is required by the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) and includes a comprehensive public review process.
There are six steps identified in the functional 10 per cent design review process:
The Transit and Rail Project Assessment Process for EELRT is now complete.
The vision of transit in Scarborough is to improve local accessibility, provide more transit options for residents and commuters and to support the development of more connected and complete communities. As part of this vision, the EELRT will include convenient connections to the TTC bus network as well as to the following existing and proposed rapid transit:
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