Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx have announced a shortlist of three consortiums "to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the Hurontario Light Rail Transit (LRT) project," according to today's release. Following a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) that was issued in October, the three shortlisted teams were selected on criteria that included "design, construction, maintenance, and operational experience, as well as the financial capacity to deliver a project of this size and scope."

The shortlisted teams all consist of over a dozen firms, tasked with design, construction, operation & maintenance, and financing. Dubbed Hurontario Light Rail Connection Partners (HLCP), Mobilinx, and Trillium Transit Partners, the three teams will now complete for the contract, with a proponent to be announced well in advance of the planned 2018 construction start.

The Hurontario-Main LRT, image courtesy of Metrolinx

The 20-kilometre, 22-stop LRT will run along Mississauga's Hurontario Street, extending north into Brampton. Stretching from the Port Credit GO Station to Brampton's Gateway Terminal, the LRT will connect to GO's Milton and Lakeshore West lines, as well as Mississauga's MiWay, Brampton Transit, and the Mississauga Transitway BRT.

The LRT at Cookeville Station, which is set to be an intermodal hub, image courtesy of Metrolinx

The line is slated to be delivered under IO's Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model, which, according to IO President and CEO Ehren Cory, "bridges the gap between public and private sectors to get moving on delivering transit projects." In transferring some project risks to the private sector, the AFP model—a type of Public-Private Partnership (P3)—is designed to ensure greater certainty in cost and scheduling.

The short-listed teams, image courtesy of IO / Metrolinx

Accompanying today's announcement, a new rendering of Downtown Mississauga's Robert Speck stop provides a preview of the Hurontario LRT's completed aesthetic. The LRT targets a 2022 opening, with a projected cost of $1.4 billion.

The Robert Speck stop, image courtesy of IO / Metrolinx

We will keep you updated as more information becomes available, and a proponent is announced. In the meantime, additional information can be found via our Database file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment on this page, or join the ongoing conversation in our Forum.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was amended to reflect the fact that the LRT will not run along Brampton's Main Street, as previously reported.