The subway is coming to Richmond Hill. Ready for 80 storeys?

For thirty years the subway ended at Finch and York Region began at a bus terminal. The extension changes that: eight kilometres north through Steeles, Clark, Royal Orchard and Bridge to a terminus at High Tech in Richmond Hill, north of the 407.

It is really under way now. The tunnel launch shaft was excavated by July; two boring machines will drive 6.3 kilometres from it. The stations, rail and systems contract went out to qualification last year. What comes with it is the part being argued about: the transit-oriented community plan around High Tech and Bridge, which has been described as 33 towers, some reaching 80 storeys, and something like 80,000 new residents in a place that today is a bus loop, a rail corridor and a shopping centre.

The case for is arithmetic: the province is paying $5.6 billion for the line and wants the land around the stations to carry as much of that as it can. The case against is the one every 905 municipality makes about a provincial zoning order: this is a decision about the shape of the city being made by people who will never live in it.

Sources: Canada.ca, the July milestone · blogTO, the launch shaft · City of Richmond Hill, on the progress · Toronto Realty Blog, what a transit-oriented community is · Metrolinx, High Tech station