Ontario Construction News staff writer
ONxpress Transportation Partners, an Aecon-led consortium, has been selected as the First Negotiations Proponent to design, build, operate and maintain the GO Rail Expansion – On-Corridor Works project.
Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx made the announcement, updating the project to electrify and transform the GO rail network into a system that will deliver two-way, all-day service.
The project is described as the most complex element of the program is the GO Expansion On-Corridor Works package, a single, innovative, fully integrated contract to provide a higher level of service on the GO network. This is the largest capital project in the entire GO Expansion program.
“We are pleased to bring our preeminent and multidisciplinary expertise to this transformational project that will significantly improve regional rapid transit service across the GTA, with increased frequency, faster trains, additional stations and seamless connections,” said Jean-Louis Servranckx, president and CEO, Aecon Group Inc.
“This is one of the largest transportation investments in Canada and we are proud to work with Infrastructure Ontario, Metrolinx and our partners to deliver this world-class, sustainable project.”
ONxpress Transportation Partners includes:
- Aecon
- CC Construcción S.A. (FCC)
- Deutsche Bahn International Operations GmbH
- Alstom
Aecon holds a 50 per cent interest in a civil joint venture with FCC, which is undertaking the construction, and a 28 per cent interest in a 25-year operations and maintenance partnership with Deutsche Bahn International Operations.
Identification of the First Negotiations Proponent is the first step in the negotiations process. Upon successful conclusion of the process, ONxpress Transportation Partners would proceed towards Commercial Close, which is expected in the coming months.
Early works and a two-year collaborative development phase are expected to commence in the second quarter of 2022, with operations and maintenance anticipated to commence in the second quarter of 2024.
The process to select a partner to design and build the infrastructure, then operate and maintain the trains for 25 years – the largest capital project in the GO Expansion program – continues to progress.
If the negotiations process with the proponents reaches a successful outcome in the coming weeks, the next step will be the confirmation of commercial close, at which time Metrolinx will enter into a development phase with the successful proponent.