The province has shortlisted six firms which will now be invited to formally bid on the final contracts associated with the Ontario Line project.

On Tuesday morning, the Ontario government issued the newest round of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to design the Pape Tunnel and new stations for the Ontario Line subway. The latest steps comes after the launch of a Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) process in November.

Infrastructure Ontario says that the top-ranked applicant will work with Metrolinx during a development phase slated to begin in 2024, with a contract likely to be signed after that.

When completed, the Ontario Line will span from Exhibition Station in the west to the Ontario Science Centre in the east, covering approximately 15.6 kilometres.

The contract currently up for grabs for the Pape Tunnel and underground stations will entail three kilometres of twin tunnels and two brand-new stations at Cosburn Avenue and Pape Avenue, where the Ontario Line will connect to the existing Line 2 subway. The contract will also require the construction of two new “portals,” or interchanges between above-ground and underground operations.

Construction on the Ontario Line is already underway at Exhibition Station, as well as the sites for the future Corktown and Moss Park stations and the rail corridor east of the Don River.

"All governments are working together to make progress on transit,” said deputy mayor Jennifer McKelvie in a press release. “The Ontario Line is a key part of the province's multi-billion dollar transit plan being built across Toronto and these RFPs help ensure this project keeps moving forward. We need to get transit built and I am committed to working with the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada to deliver much-needed transit lines for our residents as quickly as possible."

The cost of the Ontario Line has nearly doubled since the project was first unveiled in 2019 at a proposed $10.9 billion, with an estimated completion date of 2027.

In November, documents released by Infrastructure Ontario indicated the project’s price tag could approach $19 billion by completion. The project is now expected to be completed in 2031.