It’s Time to Reinstate Cummer Station for the North York Centre - by Councillor Lily Cheng, seconded by Councillor Jamaal Myers

This motion is informed by previous City of Toronto staff analysis and Council direction, including the December 2023 " Cummer Station - Supplemental Report " (Background File 241560), which assessed the inclusion of Cummer Station within the Yonge North Subway Extension and confirmed the technical and planning implications of the current alignment. The current alignment of the Yonge North Subway Extension excludes a station at Cummer Avenue. This omission results in a notably long station spacing of approximately 2 km between Finch and Steeles, which is atypical for a high-density urban context and inconsistent with established Toronto Transit Commission network patterns. In comparison, downtown Line 1 stations such as King, Queen, Dundas, College, and Wellesley are spaced at approximately 500-700 metres, reflecting a planning approach that prioritizes accessibility and walkable station catchments in dense urban environments. Once construction proceeds beyond a certain point, the opportunity to incorporate a future Cummer Station will become increasingly cost-prohibitive and technically complex. The current design, including track profile considerations that are not flat through this segment, risks making future station insertion at this location practically infeasible without major disruption, including potential multi-year shutdowns of the line. City modelling indicates that the current five-station extension is projected to serve approximately 94,000 daily riders, while a station at Cummer alone is forecast to accommodate over 23,000 daily boardings by 2051. This level of ridership is comparable to several existing Toronto Transit Commission subway stations and demonstrates that Cummer would function as a major node within the network, rather than a marginal stop. The case for reinstating Cummer Station is grounded in several key considerations: High Ridership Potential: City forecasts indicate Cummer Station would exceed projected ridership levels of approved stations such as Clark and Royal Orchard. Active Development and Growth: The surrounding area is designated for significant intensification, with planned densities of approximately 249 people and jobs per hectare by 2051, exceeding typical Major Transit Station Area targets. Future-Proofing and Infill Potential: As demonstrated by the historical addition of North York Centre Station to Line 1, strategic infill stations can be successfully integrated to better serve evolving urban form and demand. Constructing Cummer Station now would avoid substantially higher costs and future disruption. Local Connectivity: The station would directly serve multiple secondary schools, including Drewry Secondary School, École secondaire catholique Monseigneur-de-Charbonnel, and Avondale Secondary Alternative School, while improving access to the 97 Yonge bus corridor. High Future Risk: Delaying consideration of this station risks necessitating full or partial shutdown of the Yonge North Subway Extension for extended periods if a station is added post-construction, as identified in City technical discussions. As construction proceeds, nearby communities will inevitably experience significant disruption. While such impacts are inherent to major infrastructure delivery, they must be balanced with meaningful local benefits. Incorporating Cummer Station would help ensure that the corridor directly benefits from the substantial investment being made, while improving overall network utility and accessibility. In light of these considerations, reinstating Cummer Station represents sound planning, improved network efficiency, and a commitment to equitable transit investment that aligns infrastructure with the scale of growth already planned and underway along the Yonge Street corridor.