Metrolinx awards contract for GO Transit rail maintenance facility

Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario last week awarded a $859.2 million contract (in Canadian dollars) to Plenary Infrastructure to design, build finance and maintain the East Rail Maintenance Facility for GO Transit trains in Whitby, Ontario.

The contract covers a 30-year period, and it includes maintenance and lifecycle repair work.

"The new maintenance and storage facility supports GO Transit’s expansion plans, including our commitment to implement Regional Express Rail," said Ontario's Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca in a prepared statement. "This is proof of our government’s commitment to making the daily commute and quality of life better for Ontario families."

The new 500,000-square-foot facility will provide tracks and storage for 13 12-car passenger trains, with the capacity to store an additional nine passenger trains for future use, officials said in a joint press release.

It also will feature stations for repairing, maintaining, fueling washing and powering GO trains, as well as parking for staff and visitors.

Design and construction work is expected to begin in spring, with substantial completion anticipated for the end of 2017. Plenary Infrastructure estimates bringing on 1,000 on-site workers, with most coming from the Toronto and Hamilton areas.

Plenary Infrastructure ERMF, as the contract awardee is officially known, is a consortium comprising developers Plenary Group (Canada) Ltd., Kiewet Canada Development Corp. and Bird Capital Limited Partnership, as well as construction, design, facilities management and financing firms.