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Brief Finch West LRT Shutdown Intensifies Push for Faster Service

City officials pledge near-term fixes following rider reports of nearly hour-long trips.

Overview

  • Service was paused across Line 6 just after 7:30 a.m. Thursday due to weather-related switch issues at roughly −8 C, with trains running again by 7:44 a.m. and 40 shuttle buses deployed.
  • Mayor Olivia Chow said she will bring a council motion to add transit signal priority, remove speed caps where possible, and increase frequency to cut travel times.
  • TTC Chair Jamaal Myers advanced a board motion directing the TTC, City and Metrolinx to deliver urgent operational changes, highlighting the need for interagency coordination.
  • End-to-end trips are taking roughly 46–53 minutes versus Metrolinx’s 33–34 minute projection, with riders and advocates reporting the LRT can be slower than the bus it replaced.
  • Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria suggested speeds should improve with operator experience and better signal timing, and Metrolinx said it will review Thursday’s incident to bolster weather resilience.