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Governments of Canada and Ontario have announced up to CAD333 million (US$253 million) in federal funding for the Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) project. 

The Finch West LRT represents a CAD1.2 billion (US$915 million) investment by the Government of Ontario to expand and improve transit in the City of Toronto.

As we reported in February 2016, Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx issued a RFP to the shortlisted teams to develop the project. The preferred bidder will have to design, build, finance and maintain the new rail infrastructure during the 30 year concession period. The shortlisted teams were the following:

• Humber Valley Transit Partners. Developers: SNC-Lavalin and Graham; Contractors: SNC-Lavalin and Graham; Service Provider: SNCLavalin and ACI; Financial Advisor: National Bank and Scotia Capital.
• Mosaic Transit Group. Developers: ACS Infrastructure, Aecon and CRH; Contractors: ACS, Aecon and CRH; Service Provider: ACS, Aecon and CRH; Financial Advisor: RBC Capital Markets.
• FACT Partners: Developers: EllisDon and Bechtel; Contractors: EllisDon and Bechtel; Service Provider: EllisDon, Bechtel and Herzog Transit; Financial Advisor: EllisDon Capital.

The Finch West LRT project will include the design and construction of 11 kilometers of light rail transit line along the surface of Finch Avenue. The rail line will run from the new Finch West Subway Station on the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension at Keele Street to Humber College. The project will also build 16 surface stops, a below-grade terminus stop at Humber College, an underground interchange station at the TTC's Finch West Subway Station, and a maintenance and storage facility for the light rail vehicles.

The LRT service will move more people faster through the busy Finch West corridor than the existing bus service, provide new regional travel options for transit users, connect to GO Transit bus services and Mississauga and Brampton local bus services, and support new economic growth and job creation in the region.

 Investing in public transit infrastructure supports efficient, affordable and sustainable transit services that help Canadians and their families get to work, school and essential services on time and back home safely at the end of a long day. The governments of Canada and Ontario are making investments that will help create well-paying jobs and grow the middle class now while building a strong foundation for a sustainable economic future.

Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre, said:

"The governments of Canada and Ontario are working together with municipalities to invest in important public transit infrastructure projects like the Finch West Light Rail Transit Project that will help reduce congestion and get middle class Canadians home to their families quicker. Through our government's historic investments in infrastructure, we are building healthier communities while strengthening the Canadian economy. New urban transit networks and service extension projects help better meet the needs of Canadians by creating jobs today and a more competitive Canada in the economy of tomorrow."

Recently, we reported that  the Government of Canada announced support for a federal investment of CAD1.283 billion (US$969 million) for another LRT project, the Réseau électrique métropolitain (REM) light rail network in Montréal. The new network represents an investment of approximately CAD5.23 billion (US$3.95 billion).