AIR-RAIL LINK FROM TORONTO - LESTER B. PEARSON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO TORONTO UNION STATION

As a leading city in both North America and the world, Toronto is experiencing dynamic growth and development. It is therefore critical to ensure that the city's transportation infrastructure and public transit systems keep pace with the continued expansion. The increasing pressures on transportation infrastructure, particularly the major road networks, highlight the importance of making smart planning decisions today to guarantee that the Toronto of tomorrow continues to be a vibrant and livable "City that Works".

In June 2000, Transport Minister David Collenette announced that Transport Canada would initiate a request for expressions of interest to determine private-sector interest in the development of the air-rail link between Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport and Toronto's Union Station. In April 2001, Transport Canada issued a request for expressions of interest, following which four respondents were found to have met the qualification requirements. On May 23, 2003, Transport Canada issued a Request for business cases (RFBC) to these four qualified consortia. They were:

• GTA LRT Consortium (Aecon Group Inc. and Alstom Canada Inc.), 
• Macquarie North America Ltd. and Arup Canada Inc., 
• Pearl Consortium (Bombardier Inc., AMEC E&C Services Inc., in collaboration with strategic partners Hatch Mott MacDonald Ltd. and IBI Group) and 
• Union Pearson Group Inc. (SNC-Lavalin Engineers & Constructors Inc., PCL Constructors Canada Inc., Kilmer Van Nostrand Company Ltd., OMERS Realty Corporation, Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate Services Inc., O&Y Properties Corporation). 

This RFBC contained the requirements for each respondent to prepare a business case; outlined the scope of work that will need to be undertaken by the successful respondent to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the air-rail link; and set out the terms and conditions stipulated by the eleven stakeholders for their involvement in the project. 

The deadline for the submission of business cases was August 28, 2003. Over the following two months, Transport Canada conducted a transparent and fair evaluation process to select the successful respondent. Evaluators included public and private sector individuals, including, among others, representatives of Transport Canada, the Canadian Transportation Agency, the Railway Association of Canada, the City of Toronto, Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Canadian National Railway, GO Transit, and Deloitte & Touche, advisors to Transport Canada on this project.

Pursuant to this evaluation process, the Union Pearson AirLink Group, owned by SNC-Lavalin Engineers & Constructors Inc. (SLE&C), has been named as the successful respondent to design, construct, operate and maintain the air-rail link. SLE&C is a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group of Companies.

The air-rail link will connect the biggest airport in Canada with the busiest surface transportation station in the country, handling approximately 80,000 and 200,000 passengers respectively on any day. It is estimated the air-rail link service will eliminate over 1.5 million car trips annually in the first full year of operation. The air-rail link service will be expected to meet the following objectives:

• increase mobility by providing a transportation service that is safe, accessible, convenient, comfortable and that meets the needs of the public;
• provide a direct, seamless and rapid passenger rail service between Union Station and Lester B. Pearson International Airport;
• reduce road congestion by enhancing the movement of passengers and freight while taking advantage of existing rail corridors;
• provide an efficient and environmentally responsible passenger rail service and improve health by reducing greenhouse gas and other emissions;
• complement existing public transit systems and support intermodal transportation options within the Greater Toronto Area;
• contribute to the economic development and well-being of the Greater Toronto Area;
• promote the use of Intelligent Transportation Systems; and
• employ a public-private partnership approach to avoid the use of public funds.

The main stakeholders that have collaborated in this project and are expected to execute final stakeholder agreements, are GO Transit, the Canadian National Railway Company (CN) and the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. Other important stakeholders include the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, the Region of Peel, the cities of Toronto and Mississauga, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Orlando Corporation, Woodbine Entertainment Group and VIA Rail Canada.

The Union Pearson AirLink Group and Go Transit have recently launched the environmental assessment process from improvements to the CN Weston Subdivision/GO Georgetown Line. Construction is expected to begin once the requisite environmental approvals have been obtained.

January 2006

Map showing conceptual route of air-rail link. To view a larger version, select on the image below.