Joint venture led by Italian firm awarded Ontario Line contract
The work will be carried out under a Progressive Design-Build model.
A rendering shows part of the Ontario Line. – Metrolinx
Key Takeaways:
- Webuild is leading a joint venture that will carry out more than $1 billion in Ontario Line work.
- The work includes developing and building the Pape Tunnel and Underground Stations portion of the Line.
- Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas Canada Ltd. (FCC Canada) is part of the joint venture.
The Whole Story:
The Webuild Group will lead a joint venture to carry out work on the first phase of development for a portion of the Ontario Line. The Group, in a joint venture with Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas Canada Ltd. (FCC Canada), has signed a contract for an estimated total value of approximately $1-2 billion to develop and build the Pape Tunnel and Underground Stations (PTUS) section of the Ontario Line.
Webuild stated that the final contract value will be determined by the detailed design, included in the contract. The new subway line will run through Toronto, where the population is expected to increase rapidly from 6 million citizens now to over 8 million by 2030.
Webuild, with a 50% share, is leading the joint venture, which will design and construct the works, commissioned by Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx. The PTUS contract for the Ontario Line North will be executed as a Progressive Design-Build. The model involves close collaboration between the client, contractor, and designer. The team believes this will create lower execution risks in the start-up and construction phases of the project.
As a whole, the PTUS contract provides for the design, construction, supply and operation of three kilometres of twin tunnels, two underground stations, the interface with Toronto Transit Commission’s Line 2 subway and related works. The Ontario Line will run from Eglinton Crosstown LRT (Line 5) at Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue in the northeast to Exhibition Place in the southwest. It is expected to cut travel times on the route to less than 30 minutes compared to the current 70 minutes.
The Ontario Line will extend 15.6 kilometres with 15 stations, six intermodal hubs and more than 40 connections with existing subway, streetcar, light-rail transit and regional rail lines and bus services. Webuild is already implementing, with the Connect 6ix consortium, the Rolling Stock, Systems, Operations and Maintenance (RSSOM) package of works for the Ontario Line, which includes designing and implementing signalling, communication, and safety systems, supplying rolling stock, and carrying out the line’s operation and maintenance.
The PTUS contract will be the third sustainable mobility project being built in Canada for Webuild. In addition to the RSSOM and PTUS packages of the Ontario Line, the Group is also carrying out the Hurontario project with the Mobilinx consortium, to build a light rail line that will run 18 kilometres, near Toronto, along Hurontario Street.
The scope of work for the contract includes:
- Three kilometres of twin tunnels underneath Pape Avenue between the Gerrard portal and the Don Valley bridge
- Underpinning of the existing TTC Pape Station on Line 2.
- Two underground stations (Pape and Cosburn) and two portals
- Three emergency exit buildings/emergency services buildings
- A rail switch/crossover in the section of tunnel near Sammon Avenue
- Interface with Line 2 TTC subway
