TTC - History

Then-mayor David Miller launches “Transit City,” a proposed project to build eight new light rail lines across the city - These lines — such as the Sheppard East LRT, Eglinton Crosstown LRT, Finch West LRT and Scarborough RT — were designed to improve travel for sections of Toronto that aren’t well serviced by transit - However, the plan faced criticism, notably from former mayor Rob Ford, who preferred subway lines over light rail - thestar.com

Photo - RICK MADONIK/TORONTO STAR file photo

The Sheppard subway line opens, running east from Yonge Street to Don Mills Road - Former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman was among a crowd of dignitaries to board trains on the new five-stop line, Toronto’s first since 1966 - Unlike previous lines, all five stations – Sheppard-Yonge, Bayview, Bessarion, Leslie, and Don Mills – were accessible from the time they opened - It also garnered attention for the artwork displayed prominently in each station - thestar.com

Photo - Jack Lakey/Toronto Star file photo

A TTC subway train violently rear-ends another on a stretch of the Spadina line under Russell Hill Drive, between St. Clair West and Dupont Stations - The rush hour crash buckled both trains together, killing three people and injuring at least 30 others - A coroner’s inquest and TTC investigation found that the very inexperienced driver of the train had disobeyed signals - The final report listed 236 recommendations for improving safety equipment and training. All have since been implemented - The crash remains the deadliest in the TTC’s history - thestar.com

Photo - Rene Johnston/Toronto Star file photo

An above-ground rail line opens, running from McCowan Road north of Ellesmere Avenue to the Kennedy subway station - City council now intends to replace it with a subway extension ending in a single stop at the Scarborough Town Centre - The proposal has fuelled bitter political debates for years - thestar.com

Photo - Marcus Oleniuk/Toronto Star file photo

The Bloor-Danforth subway opens between Keele and Woodbine Stations, allowing passengers to ride east-west along a subway line for the first time in Toronto - Within two years, the Bloor-Danforth line would expand out to Islington and Warden Stations. However, the new line wasn’t without its flaws: every second train on the Bloor-Danforth line looped into the Yonge-University line, which caused both delays and confusion - Within six months, the TTC had discontinued this practice - thestar.com

Photo - City of Toronto Archives/thestar.com