SUMMER 2026 NEWSLETTER

Jul 25
6 min read

Updated: Jul 26

What’s Inside:YNSE Updates (Royal Orchard and Launch Shaft Construction Liaison Committee Meeting; RORA-Metrolinx North End Connectors Alignment Walk; CLC Community Walk); Development Update: Langstaff East MZO; Community Updates: Movie Night; Calling All Photographers

Yonge North Subway Extension

Royal Orchard and Launch Shaft Construction Liaison Committee (CLC) Meeting

Metrolinx held its first Construction Liaison Committee Meeting on July 17, 2026 for the geographic area covering the Royal Orchard community and the area of Langstaff Road East around Cedar Avenue and Essex Avenue. A CLC provides an opportunity for residents, businesses, organizations/ groups such as RORA to discuss construction activities and ask questions of Metrolinx and its construction partners North End Connectors (NEC). Councillor Keith Irish is a member of this committee. Metrolinx emphasized that the CLC is not a decision-making body but will consider the feedback of CLC members to inform its efforts to mitigate community concerns related to construction.

Metrolinx provided an overview of upcoming YNSE construction activities with a focus on tunnelling and noise and vibration monitoring.

Tunnelling and Excavation: Metrolinx is planning for tunnelling to begin in early 2027. The Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) have been ordered and are currently being manufactured in Germany. NEC is doing factory acceptance testing during the summer months.

Below is the cutter head on a tunnel boring machine (TBM).

TBMs are calibrated to adapt to different kinds of underground conditions, like densely packed soil, rock or areas with high water pressure. Earth pressure balance technology built into the TBM helps it make those transitions smoothly. The pressure applied by the TBM can be controlled to match the combined pressure of the earth and water being excavated. This helps keep the ground stable as the machines work below the homes, buildings and roads at the surface. Excavated soils and rock (referred to as muck) are removed by a system of conveyors from inside the tunnel boring machine and transported back to the surface to be hauled away and properly disposed.

Metrolinx anticipates the TBMs will be advancing 10 metres per day, operating 24 hours per day from Monday to Friday.

Noise and Vibration Monitoring: Metrolinx has begun installation of monitoring devices along the YNSE alignment. Metrolinx advised that they will be mounting monitoring devices at homes directly above or near the subway route. See below for some examples of monitoring devices

RORA asked about the projected noise and vibration levels for the Royal Orchard community and Metrolinx’s plan should the levels be exceeded. RORA also asked how noise and vibration exceedances were addressed during the construction of the Sydney Metro as we have found reports where tunnelling noise and vibrations breached the projected thresholds. NEC provided the Sydney Metro as an example of their experience tunnelling successfully under neighbourhoods. Metrolinx committed to follow up responses.

The Minutes for the July 17^th CLC meeting are posted below.

RORA-Metrolinx-North End Connectors Alignment Walk

At RORA’s request, Metrolinx and North End Connectors agreed to a walk with RORA’s

Executive Board and Councillor Keith Irish on June 29, 2026 to review the alignment and respond to questions. Steve Collins attended with representatives from NEC, the community engagement team and traffic management/planning. RORA used the walk to reinforce our continuing concerns regarding noise and vibration levels, air quality levels, potential damage to residents’ homes from tunnelling and construction, and rodent infestations in and around homes as tunnelling displaces rodent habitats. Metrolinx noted that these concerns are addressed through their Construction Management Plans. We asked that these plans be shared with the CLC.

RORA learned during the walk that NEC will be moving forward with pre-construction inspections of affected properties in early fall with the view of completing all inspections by late October, 2026.

CLC Community Walk: Site Visit to 128, 130 and 132 Kirk Drive

Metrolinx also organized a walk with CLC members on July 8, 2026. The focus of this walk was a site visit to the three houses on Kirk Drive that are being demolished to make way for Emergency Exit Building (EEB) 6. Metrolinx provided an overview of upcoming work: designated substances removal from all three houses; removal of and donation of appliances to a charity; interior and exterior demolition. The demolition work is expected to be complete before school starts in September. Following demolition, the site will continue to be fenced off to ensure public safety.

CLC members raised concerns regarding air quality, construction noise and vibration and traffic management. Metrolinx noted that air quality and noise/vibration monitors will be in place and monitored daily. Contractors will be using the driveways of the houses for their equipment. They will not need to park on Kirk Drive. Pedestrian foot traffic will not be impeded. RORA asked about the increased noise from the CN corridor resulting from tree removal and demolition of the three houses. The trees and houses acted as sound barriers. RORA recommended Metrolinx erect a sound barrier along the CN corridor.

Metrolinx has planned another CLC site visit for July 29, 2026 to provide an update on demolition activities and seek feedback on deconstruction mitigation.

Photo adjacent shows the air quality monitoring devices in place on the west side of Yonge Street, just south of John Street that Metrolinx will use during the piling work to create a vertical shaft to support the future construction of EEB 4.

Tunnel Launch Shaft

Metrolinx has completed excavation of the tunnel launch shaft for the YNSE. Crews have dug almost 70,000 cubic metres of soil to prepare the tunnel launch shaft site, where two TBMs will begin digging the extension’s twin 6.3-kilometre tunnels. The launch shaft extends 10 metres below ground, requiring 11,000 cubic metres of concrete and 860 tonnes of steel reinforcement to construct.

Development Updates

Langstaff East Minster’s Zoning Order (MZO)

Markham Council was asked to endorse a request for a Minister’s Zoning Order for 21.4 hectares (52.9 acres) of land located in Langstaff east: lands east of Cedar Avenue, south of Highway 407, west of Bayview Avenue and north of Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Thornhill’s Langstaff Gateway. This MZO request proposes to “double the density” from the approved Secondary Plan for Langstaff east from 10,064 to 19,773 residential units. It also proposes to “increase the maximum building height permissions.” Markham Council cannot approve or deny a request for an MZO brought forward in this way; only the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing can.

The MZO proposal can be found at: https://pub-markham.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=107028.

This MZO, in addition to the previously approved Enhanced Minister's Zoning Orders for the lands west of Cedar Avenue, would bring 99,773 new residents to the Langstaff area. This area will become the second densest place on earth, just behind the Dharavi slums of Mumbai made famous by the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire.

Despite ratepayers’ associations’ (RORA’s deputations are attached) and residents’ significant objections regarding the “livability of such densities” and objections raised by Councillor Irish, Markham Council voted, on July 14, 2026, seven to four to endorse the proposed MZO with the following conditions:

· tying development to transportation capacity,

· requiring ongoing transportation analysis as the project proceeds, and

· clarifying responsibilities for district energy infrastructure.

The intent of the conditions is to better ensure that road, transit, and active transportation infrastructure keeps pace with development while providing greater certainty regarding district heating and cooling obligations. Mayor Scarpitti felt strongly that the conditions will mitigate residents’ concerns and commended Kylemore (the developer) for agreeing with the conditions.

Royal Orchard Movie Night (July 30th at 8 pm)

The jungle awaits you on July 30^th at 8 pm. Sam and Nancy Cuda will be hosting another night of movie magic under the stars at the Heintzman House parking lot. They will also be graciously providing popcorn. Bring your own chairs. Come celebrate summer! Come celebrate community!

Calling All Photographers

Do you have photographs of our beautiful Royal Orchard community? We would love to feature them on our website and in future newsletters. Please send your photos to royalorchardra@gmail.com. We will credit all photos!

RORA MEMBERSHIP

RORA is a volunteer membership-based organization. Our mission is to be a voice for our community. Join us to keep our neighbourhood safe, healthy and livable. Your $20 annual membership fee can be paid by e-transfer to: royalorchardra@gmail.com. Please include your name and address on the e-transfer notes.

We will also accept cash/cheques. Please make cheques payable to Royal Orchard Ratepayers’ Association and deliver or mail your payment to: A. Young, 18 Banquo Road, Thornhill, ON, L3T 3H1. Tell your neighbours how important it is that they join us! For more information, please check out our website at www.royalorchra.ca

Together we are Royal Orchard Strong!