Canada’s Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Quebec Lieutenant, the Pablo Rodriguez have announced the three consortia that will enter Request for Proposals (RFP) phase for the High Frequency Rail project on the Toronto – Quebec City rail route.
The selected consortia are:
- Cadence comprising CDPQ Infra, SNC-Lavalin, Systra Canada, Keolis Canada;
- Intercity Rail Developers, created by Intercity Development Partners, EllisDon Capital, Kilmer Transportation, First Rail Holdings, Jacobs, Hatch, CIMA+, First Group, RATP Dev Canada, Renfe Operadora;
- QConnexiON Rail Partners formed by Fengate, John Laing, Bechtel, WSP Canada, Deutsche Bahn;
Once the RFP launches this September, participants will be asked to present their proposal, including a technically and commercially feasible solution, a business plan and a management plan for the co-development, construction, and operations phases of the project. This approach will incentivise respondents to identify and prioritise the benefits to Canadians in their proposals, while also providing them with the flexibility to take innovative approaches to meet or exceed the desired project outcomes.
The evaluation of Request for Proposal submissions is expected to take place in the summer of 2024.
The entire procurement process has been and will continue to follow the highest standards and is overseen by a fairness monitor which is an independent consultant that acts as an objective, third-party observer, who monitors the procurement process and ensures that it is conducted in a fair manner.
“I am thrilled that High Frequency Rail — the largest infrastructure project —is advancing to the next stage of the procurement process. This exciting initiative will require strong collaboration between Transport Canada, VIA HFR, and the selected private developer partner to create a sustainable foundation for the design and development of the project. I look forward to the next phase of this project,” the Minister of Transport said.
The High Frequency Rail project will link Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Trois-Rivières and Québec City.
It is a network which will include mainly new, electrified and dedicated tracks that extend over 1,000 km. Travelling speeds could eventually reach 200 km per hour.
The 2022 budget 2022 provided Transport Canada and Infrastructure Canada with close to CAD 400 million (USD 304 million) over two years, starting in 2022-23, to continue advancing key project activities and undertake the procurement phase of the project.
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