Ricardo providing safety oversight for extension of Toronto subway’s Line 2

Ricardo has been selected as the Independent Safety Assessor (ISA) for the 7.8km eastward extension of Line 2 on Toronto’s subway system.

Known as the Scarborough Subway Extension (SSE), the new three station section will be delivered by the Scarborough Transit Connect (STC) consortium and is expected to be ready for passenger service by 2030.

The extension will provide shorter journey times between downtown Toronto and Scarborough, as well as connections to Line 5 (the Eglinton Crosstown LRT) and GO train and bus services. 

It will also replace the Line 3 route through Scarborough which was withdrawn from service in 2023 following almost 40 years of service.

Assessments against international standards

Appointed as the ISA by STC, our team will conduct regular onsite audits and document reviews to ensure the processes and stipulations set out in the project’s Safety Plan, Security Plan, and submitted Safety Cases are fully adhered to throughout the design, construction, testing and commissioning stages.

The assessments will be undertaken in accordance with recognised standards such as the Canadian Method for Risk Evaluation and Assessment, and EN50126, the international standard for the specification and demonstration of Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety (RAMS) for railway applications. 

“We are delighted to have been asked to bring our expert support to the Scarborough Subway Extension”, says Stuart Gough, Operations Director for Ricardo's North America rail business. 

“As well as demonstrating our growing importance in the Canadian rail market, this appointment is recognition of the trust and understanding we have established within the market over the past two years. We look forward to working with all parties to deliver a safe and efficient service for the residents and businesses of Scarborough and surrounding areas”.

Our appointment builds upon a growing portfolio of technical and safety roles on major rail projects across Canada. 

In 2021, we were confirmed as the first Independent Safety Assessor to be accredited by the Standards Council of Canada and soon afterwards were appointed as the ISA for the design stages of the ‘GO Expansion’ project, one of the largest transit investment programmes ever seen in the country.

Our assessment team, based in Toronto, has also been appointed to the work on the Ontario Line, Finch West and Hazel McCallion Line projects.