Canadian government advances high-frequency rail procurement process

Canadian Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra last week announced advances in the procurement process for the high-frequency rail project that seeks to create a better passenger-rail network throughout eastern Canada.

The government is updating the request for expressions of interest (RFEOI), which reflects input from interested parties and provides answers to questions received through the procurement process so far, Transport Canada officials said in a press release. The RFEOI was launched in March.

The RFEOI feedback includes responses from 54 interested parties that overall confirm support for the government’s approach to the project, although the parties still have questions about some elements of the project, including the roles and responsibilities between the government and private partners. The parties also made recommendations to improve the design and timelines of the procurement process, government officials said.

The next step — releasing the request for qualifications — is expected to begin early next year.

VIA Rail Canada Inc. is key to the success of high-frequency rail and will play a key role in its development, Transport Canada officials said. A subsidiary of VIA Rail is being established to act as a dedicated project development office that will be responsible for leading several project activities and collaborating with the selected private partner to optimize the project.

High-frequency rail in Canada will offer connections between Quebec City, Trois-Rivieres, Montreal, Ottawa, Peterborough and Toronto. Once built, the government expects travel times to shorten up to 90 minutes on some routes. The 2022 Canadian government budget allocated $396.8 million over two years for the project’s development.