Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx have awarded a fixed-price contract of $443 million to EllisDon Infrastructure Transit (EDIT) to design, build and finance the GO Expansion – Lakeshore West Infrastructure Improvements project.

The EDIT group consists of:

• Proponent Lead: EllisDon Capital Inc.

• Design Team:

  • Civil: Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, a Division of Wood Canada Limited and Stantec Consulting Ltd.;

  • Architectural: Stantec, Strasman Architects;

  • Electrical: Mulvey + Banani International Inc.;

  • Mechanical: The Aquila Group;Structural: Stephenson Engineering Ltd.;

  • Signals: Stantec;

  • Geotechnical: Thurber Engineering Ltd.;

  • Track: Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Stantec;

  • Environmental: Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions.

• Construction Team: EllisDon Civil Ltd.

• Financial Advisor: EllisDon Capital Inc.

Plan for Long Branch GO Station replacement building, image courtesy of Metrolinx

The scope of work for the project includes:

• improving Long Branch GO Station in south Etobicoke, including improving the accessibility of the station;

• building an underpass at Burloak Drive in Burlington and Oakville to carry traffic below and across the railway corridor;

• replacing Drury Lane pedestrian bridge in Burlington; and

• completing works to enable future electrification of the line.

In a news release, IO states that "The Lakeshore West Infrastructure Improvements project underwent an open, fair and competitive process overseen by a third-party fairness advisor. EDIT submitted the proposal which delivers the best value for Ontario taxpayers."

Metrolinx intends to improve accessibility at Long Branch GO Station, image courtesy of Metrolinx

The two provincial agencies issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for interested parties to design build and finance the project in December 2017. They shortlisted qualified proponents and sent them a request for proposals in April 2018. The deadline for the consortia to submit their proposals was June 10, 2021.

Burloak Drive's underpass will be six lanes wide, image courtesy of Metrolinx

According to IO, "The project is being delivered through IO’s Public-Private Partnership (P3) model, which transfers appropriate risks associated with design, construction and financing of the project to the private sector. Onsite mobilization and pre-construction work will begin in spring 2022 with construction to begin in the fall. EDIT estimates up to 200 jobs will be created during construction."

The current pedestrian overpass at Drury Lane will be replaced with a new structure, image courtesy of MetrolinxThe Lakeshore West Infrastructure Improvements project is just one part of Metrolinx's massive GO Expansion Project. GO Expansion will result in all-day, every day, two-way GO Transit rail service, with trains dropping off or picking up passengers at stations as frequently as every 15 minutes or better. Last week, IO and Metrolinx identified potential partners to design and build the infrastructure and then operate and maintain GO trains for 25 years for the expansion program.

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