VIA Rail HFR Consortia

High Frequency Rail announcement of RFP consortia

The October 13, 2023, announcement comes with the additional request that the RFPs include a higher-speed option.

To maximize public benefits and innovation, RFP bidders will have to develop two solutions with respect to speed. One solution must include trains that can reach a maximum speed of 200 kilometres per hour, which is faster than the service offered today. The second solution must include high speed segments for faster travel.

Request for Proposals Timeline:

  • Start: September 2023
  • End: Summer of 2024

The groups chosen for the competition are:

Cadence

  • CDPQ Infra: Quebec pension plan infrastructure investment arm. Owns the Montreal REM automated metro rail project.
  • SNC-Lavalin: Quebec engineering firm
  • Systra Canada: Formally Canarail. International rail consulting firm. Work directly for VIA Rail over the corridor transformation with CH2M Jacobs. Part of the Metrolinx Scarborough extension project.
  • Keolis Canada: 70% owned by French state-owned rail company SNCF, 30% owned by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Service delivery of P3 specialists. Part of the Waterloo ION light rail consortia and Montreal transit partnership.

Intercity Rail Developers

  • Renfe Operadora: Spanish government owned rail company.
  • Intercity Development Partners: Michael Schabas (UK and Canada) rail consultant. Worked on Skytrain, Canary Wharf development, GO Transit extension and privatization plan, and the plan for Ontario Line. Companies directly linked to First Group.
  • EllisDon Capital: P3 infrastructure specialists (30 P3 contracts)
  • Kilmer Transportation: P3 infrastructure associated development company. Involved in ONroute service stops, Canary District Toronto, .
  • First Rail Holdings: First Groups' UK Rail holding company. Operates 24% of the privatized UK rail system.
  • Jacobs: Transport (including rail), telecom, and utility engineering and consulting group.
  • Hatch: Transport engineering consulting firm.
  • CIMA+: Engineering firm.
  • First Group: Large multinational rail and bus operator. Not the First Transit owner any more as it was sold to Transdev.
  • RATP Dev Canada: French/Global intercity transit provider

QConnexiON Rail Partners

  • Deutsche Bahn: German state-owned rail company.
  • Fengate: Industrial and real estate asset managers.
  • John Laing: UK private infrastructure investment firm
  • Bechtel: USA engineering firm
  • WSP Canada: Canada (Ontario) engineering firm