Metrolinx and Infrastracture Ontario have announced that Crosslinx Transit Solutions (CTS)—an equal-share consortium of SNC-Lavalin, EllisDon, AECON, and ACS Infrastructure Canada—as the preferred proponent for the construction and maintenance of the Crosstown LRT line. The $4 Billion contract represents the largest Public-Private Partnership (P3) in Canadian history, as well as a significant step forward in the city's largest ongoing infrastructure project

The announcement of a "preferred proponent" means that, while the contract has not yet been finalized and signed, Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx are now negotiating the final details with the Crosslinx group, while an agreement is, in principle, already in place.

The final contract is expected to be signed later in the summer, securing construction, as well as 30 years of maintenance service, from the consortium. CTS will also provide a 22,500 sqaure-metre maintenance and storage facility at the western end of the line, while overseeing a range of technical operations, including the train control system..

A rendering of the new LRT, image courtesy of Metrolinx

The Crosslinx Transit Solutions group—composed of both Canadian and International partners—beat out a bid by Crosstown Transit Partners, a similar consortium of large international companies. With a private sector partner now firmly established, the highly anticipated LRT looks on course to enter service by late 2020. 

Under the auspices of a Public-Private Partnership, a private sector party (in this case, Crosslinx Transit Solutions) undertakes the development of a public sector project, assuming a proportion of the financial risks involved in exchange for a stake in the project. For the Crosstown, private financing is set to provide a substantial degree of the project's budget.

Once completed, the Eglinton-Crosstrown will provide a crucial addition to Toronto transit, connecting the city's west and east ends along a 19km stretch of midtown Toronto. The 25 station line will ease congestion on one of Toronto's busiest streets, spur re-development and density, and provide hundreds of thousands of Torontonians with reliable transit.

A map of the line, image courtesy of Metrolinx

According to Steven Del Duca, Ontario's Minister of Transportation, the selection presents an "exciting milestone for the Crosstown project," which presents "proof of our government's commitment to making the daily commute and quality of life better for Ontario families."

We will keep you updated as this critical project continues to take shape, providing updates of construction and new developments. In the meantime, additional information and renderings can be found at the associated dataBase files, linked below. Join in the discussion by visiting the Forum, or leaving a comment in the section provided at the bottom of this page.