Finch West Station opened connecting Line 1 (subway) and Line 6 (Finch West LRT).
For wheelchair users and people with mobility disabilities, the only transfer option
between the two lines is a 261-foot ramp — while non-disabled riders take the stairs
in 18 seconds.
📍Finch West Station, Toronto
♿0direct elevators between Line 1 & Line 6
📏11 ftvertical gap between concourses
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Current Reality
The 261-foot ramp.
Three inclined sections. Two rest landings. One minute and 45 seconds — if you can
push the entire way without stopping. Stairs beside it take 18 seconds but are not
wheelchair accessible. If the workaround elevator is out of service, there is no
accessible alternative.
An inclined platform lift or travelator installed alongside the existing ramp corridor
would provide true wheelchair-accessible transfer within the current footprint.
No major structural changes required. This model is already in use at older TTC
stations and airport terminals worldwide.
💰CAD $1.5M–$4Mtransit-grade estimate
📅12–18 monthsinstallation timeline
✅Fits existing corridor — no new shaft needed
📍Greenford Station (London): inclined lift £2.2M vs. £10M for new shaft
🏗️Metrolinx Kennedy GO elevator replacement: awarded $897K CAD
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Option B — Long-Term Fix
One direct elevator. Cedarvale already has it.
A single elevator directly connecting the Line 6 concourse to the Line 1 concourse
eliminates the problem entirely. Metrolinx built exactly this solution at Cedarvale
Station for the Line 1/Line 5 transfer. The precedent exists — it just was not applied
here. Plan it into the next capital renewal cycle before the concrete makes it
impossible.
⏱️Secondsnot minutes
📍Cedarvale Station — proven Metrolinx precedent
🏗️Plan into next capital renewal cycle
⚖️AODA Transportation Standard obligation
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⚡
Two asks. One accessible station.
The infrastructure is built. The gap is 11 feet. The solution exists elsewhere in
the same transit network. What is missing is political will and a clear ask.
The Policy Ask
1. Immediate: Install an inclined platform lift in the existing ramp corridor within 18 months.
2. Long-term: Commission a direct elevator between Line 1 and Line 6 concourses in the next capital renewal plan — applying the Cedarvale Station model.
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