The Ontario government has unveiled a pipeline of upcoming P3 projects that contains nine new hospital builds and represents, at $65 billion, the largest commitment to P3 infrastructure ever released by the Province.
Minister of Infrastructure Laurie Scott led off a presentation of the P3 market update at a CCPPP (Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships) event in Toronto on Sept.10. She noted the intense interest of stakeholders given that last year the new government had skipped the update as it reviewed the province’s finances.
“Today’s pipeline has been a long-time coming,” Scott said, commenting on the need for the government to ensure it had the capacity to deliver a significant portfolio of projects.
“Our government has revealed a robust and diverse pipeline of projects that will improve, repair and build Ontario’s infrastructure.
She added, “Infrastructure is the backbone of our communities and these investments are critical to the future economic strength of this province.”
Scott highlighted what the government is calling its “marquee” lineup of GTHA transit projects announced by the government earlier this year, including the Ontario Line subway, GO Transit expansion projects, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Yonge North Subway Extension and the westward extension of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.
Among those, the east-west Ontario Line, a replacement of the much-anticipated relief line, that will run from Ontario Place to the Ontario Science Centre in Don Mills, will be a top priority, said Ehren Cory, president and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario. Planning and engagement with the market is already well underway towards issuing an RFQ in Spring 2020, he said, and an RFP later the same year. The government expects to award the winning bidder with a contract in the spring of 2022, with the new line targeted for completion by the end of 2027.
The 32 P3 projects in the market update includes 13 civil, 16 health care and three community safety projects.
The list of projects already in the procurement stages includes the government’s latest estimates of timelines and costs. Among them, the Hamilton LRT project is budgeted for over $1 billion with contract close expected in October 2020; and the massive GO RER OnCorr electrification project is expected to cost over $10 billion with contract completion targeted for 2021.
Two projects with capital costs estimated between $200 million and $500 million, the Halton Region Consolidated Courthouse and the QEW Credit River Bridge, are expected to reach contract close next April and May respectively.
Scott also announced that Infrastructure Ontario would be providing stakeholders with market updates four times a year in future, with the major updates in spring and fall.
Stay tuned to www.dcnonl.com and @DCN_Canada on Twitter for upcoming updates to this story.
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