Winning the contract for the southern section of Toronto’s Ontario Line marks a milestone for NEOAXESS and its WISE Safety Centric system: entry into the North American market, and international recognition of a tunnel construction safety system proven across Europe.
Toronto invests in a strategic automated line
The Ontario Line is a fully automated metro line of 15.6 kilometres running across Toronto. It will include 15 new stations and connect Exhibition Place to the Ontario Science Centre, passing through the heart of downtown. By 2041, the line is expected to carry 388,000 daily riders and bring 227,000 residents within reach of the metro. It is also a sustainability lever, taking an estimated 28,000 vehicles off the roads each day and cutting the associated emissions.
A proven solution selected for the southern section
The WISE Safety Centric solution was selected to equip the southern section of the alignment: a 6-kilometre twin-bore tunnel and the 7 new in-city stations. The decision reflects a simple procurement logic. On metro construction safety, an owner wants a system with a verifiable track record rather than a first-of-its-kind experiment beneath a major city.
Why the WISE approach travels well
The same three functions that proved themselves on the Grand Paris Express and the Lyon-Turin tunnel apply directly in Toronto: a tunnel fire alarm system, an emergency communication system and real-time worker tracking, all on one resilient network. Standardisation is what makes a European reference deployable on a North American site without reinventing the safety concept.
A strategic foothold
Beyond the contract itself, this award lets NEOAXESS establish a durable presence in the North American market and continue its international expansion, building on innovative solutions and close attention to client needs.
The WISE safety system deployed here combines fire alarm, emergency communication and worker tracking on one network.
Key facts
- 6 km twin-bore tunnel equipped
- 7 in-city stations secured
- 388,000 daily riders projected by 2041
- 28,000 vehicles taken off the roads each day
- First WISE Safety Centric deployment in North America
- Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Project owner: Metrolinx
