The Crosslinx Transit Solutions General Partnership consortium has reached financial close on the Eglinton Crosstown light rail transit (LRT) project in Toronto, Canada.
The consortium includes Aecon, ACS Infrastructure Canada, EllisDon and SNC-Lavalin and each member is an equal partner in the group with a 25% stake in the alternative financing and procurement (AFP) contract.
As part of the project agreement, the consortium will provide the design, build, financing and 30-year maintenance and rehabilitation of the Eglinton Crosstown.
“Once operational, the Eglinton Crosstown will offer commuters a wide range of economic and environmental benefits in addition to travel options and time savings.”
The procurement of the Crosstown’s integrated system is managed by Infrastructure Ontario, while Metrolinx, the province of Ontario’s regional transportation agency for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area (GTHA), will oversee detailed design and construction.
The Crosstown is part of the C$5.3bn ($4.3bn) investment in integrated transportation and transit in the GTHA made by the Ontario government in 2010.
SNC-Lavalin Group Infrastructure executive vice-president Ian Edwards said: “Our capabilities to execute LRT projects of this magnitude, as well as our ability to provide a fully integrated, value-added package that encompasses the whole lifecycle from end-to-end, are unmatched in this industry.”
Construction on the 19km-long light rail line is expected to start in the first quarter of next year.
The 25-station line will run along Eglinton Avenue from Mount Dennis (Weston Road) to Kennedy Station.
Additionally, more than 10km of the system will run underground between Mount Dennis and east of Laird Drive.
The light rail line will interchange with bus routes and three subway stations, as well as the Go Transit commuter rail network.
SNC-Lavalin Group president and chief executive officer Robert Card said: “Once operational, the Eglinton Crosstown will offer commuters a wide range of economic and environmental benefits in addition to travel options and time savings.”