Mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson unveiled her plan for a citywide subway system this morning, an issue which will be central to her campaign.

Thomson said she would pay for the project using road tolls, private partners, and redirected funds from the city’s current LRT expansion plans.

If elected, Thomson says she would add 58 kilometres of track across the city, extending the subway west to Pearson Airport, east through Scarborough and north to York University. The total cost would be upwards of $11 billion, based on estimates that each kilometre of track costs about $200 million to build and maintain.

“Great cities build great subways and great subways build great cities,” she said, in a line that will likely be repeated throughout her campaign.

On option would be adding a $5 toll for use of the city’s two highways - the Gardiner and Don Valley Parkway - during peak hours, Monday through Friday. The toll would expire after 10 years, or once the funds had been raised to pay for the subway project.