Nearly $100 million in public funds allocated to the SmartTrack project in Toronto may be wasted as construction on several planned stations remains stalled, according to documents obtained by the Toronto Star. The project, a key promise of Mayor John Tory’s 2014 election campaign, has undergone significant revisions since its inception.
Originally conceived as a 53-kilometre rapid transit line running from Mississauga to Markham, SmartTrack was intended to include 22 stations and connections to existing transit systems like the Union Pearson Express, and the TTC’s subway lines 1, 2, and 5, as well as GO Transit services. However, the scope of the project shifted in 2021 to focus on the construction of five new GO stations along the Kitchener, Lakeshore East, Stouffville, and Barrie lines – a program known as the SmartTrack Stations Program.
As of October 2025, only two of the five planned stations are currently under construction. The remaining stations face an uncertain future, with the potential for the allocated funds to be rendered unusable. The initial proposal involved a line running along Eglinton Avenue from Matheson/Airport Corporate Centre to Mount Dennis, then downtown to Union Station, and finally northeast through Scarborough to Unionville in Markham.
The evolution of SmartTrack reflects a collaboration between the city and Metrolinx, the provincial agency responsible for GO Transit. The project was designed to leverage the province’s existing GO Transit Regional Express Rail plans. Changes to the original plan were made following assessments by city staff after Tory took office.
The current status of the stalled stations and the disposition of the remaining funds remain unclear. Metrolinx has not released a public statement regarding the potential for cost overruns or project cancellations.
