Here's what's up behind the scenes at major Toronto intersection closed for years

Toronto's Yonge and Queen intersection has been shut down since May 2023 and is not expected to reopen until late 2027 or early 2028 to accommodate construction for the Ontario Line subway.

Yonge and Queen will be home to the busiest transfer station on the 15.6-kilometre, 15-station subway line, providing a key connection to Line 1's existing Queen Station. It's a long-term gain that is coming at the cost of some real short-term pain, but this new interchange station is expected to be one of the most-travelled on the entire network once complete in 2031.

However, despite being located at one of the busiest intersections in the downtown core, the goings on behind the scenes for the new Ontario Line station have been almost entirely hidden away from passersby.

Metrolinx is now offering a peek behind the curtain (or, more accurately, tall construction hoarding) for a look inside the two construction sites flanking the major intersection.

Excavation is being carried out at an east site at Queen and Victoria, and a west site on Queen just west of Yonge.

East site

Work in the east site is being carried out away from the eyes (and ears) of passersby, within an acoustic shelter structure that allows round-the-clock work without disturbing locals.

Crews are currently excavating 24 hours a day in shifts to remove rock and soil, with the dig trailed by the installation of horizontal wall support bracing structures at each level. 

The excavation now reaches the third underground level, reaching as deep as 16 metres below street level.

Excavation of the east site is expected to continue into the new year, wrapping up in early 2026.

West site

Across Yonge St. to the west, work is happening behind the confines of tall construction hoarding on a second trench extending to Bay St.

As with the east site, crews are working in round-the-clock shifts to push through the excavation with an early 2026 completion target. 

Excavation of the east site has reached a depth of 15 metres below street level as of Dec. 9.

A large gantry crane, which slides on rails to move from side to side, sits atop the west site and is used to assist with moving equipment and materials.

Queen Station's excavation is setting the stage for the arrival of tunnel boring machines, which are now being assembled near the future Exhibition Ontario Line Station ahead of their launch and subsequent dig through the heart of downtown.