Province helping Toronto speed up Gardiner Expressway construction

The province is helping Toronto accelerate construction on the Gardiner Expressway.

The up to  $73-million provided by Queen’s Park will take a year off the project.

The Ford government said the money is on the condition work is allowed to proceed on a 24/7 basis.

The construction should be complete now by April 2026, instead of April 2027.

“Our government is helping get the 140,000 drivers from Toronto, Peel, Halton, York, Hamilton and across Ontario who use the Gardiner Expressway each day out of gridlock and where they need to go faster,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “The practical solutions we are implementing to speed up construction, like 24/7 work, will provide major economic benefits to Ontario and make life easier and more convenient for drivers from across the province, and in the local community.”

The province says the investment will support contractors working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with multiple shifts per day. Additional measures also being supported through the funding agreement to improve traffic flow include the modification of the Jameson to West Bound Gardiner on-ramp, opening a left-turn lane at Spadina Avenue from Lake Shore East Boulevard and relaxing noise restrictions and overnight lane closures.

“Together with the provincial government, we can rebuild the Gardiner Expressway more quickly and ease the painful congestion in downtown Toronto,” said Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto. “Working together, we can repair our aging infrastructure, ensure that the Gardiner Expressway is safe and help people get around our city easier.”

The current phase of work on the Gardiner Expressway involves the full demolition and rebuilding of 700 metres of elevated roadway from Dufferin Street to Strachan Avenue, rehabilitating the supporting structures and adding a new traffic management system and streetlights.