The province of British Columbia named a preferred proponent for the planned extension of Metro Vancouver’s Millennium Line, which will provide frequent SkyTrain service from VCC-Clark Station to Broadway and Arbutus.
The preferred proponent team is Acciona-Ghella Joint Venture that will enter into final contract negotiations with the province to design, build and partially finance the 5.7-km (3.5-mile) Broadway Subway Project. The province says the extension will provide fast, frequent and convenient SkyTrain service to B.C.’s second-largest jobs center, health services and an emerging innovation and research hub and growing residential communities.
The Acciona-Ghella Joint Venture team consists of:
- Proponent: Acciona Infrastructure Canada Inc./Ghella Canada Ltd.
- Design-build contractor: Acciona Infrastructure Canada Inc./Ghella Canada Ltd.
- Design contractor: IBI Group Professional Services (Canada) Inc./Dialog BC Architecture Engineering Interior Design Planning Inc./Mott MacDonald Canada Ltd./Ingenieria Especializada Obra Civil e Industrial, S.A.
- Systems integration contractor: Acciona Infrastructure Canada Inc./Ghella Canada Ltd./Parsons Inc.
- Tunnel contractor: Acciona Infrastructure Canada Inc./Ghella Canada Ltd.
The request for qualifications was posted through BC Bid on Feb. 15, 2019. The shortlisted proponents were invited to respond to the request for proposals (RFP). A thorough RFP process and subsequent evaluation of technical and financial submissions was undertaken. The project is being delivered through a design-build-finance model to ensure the best value for the people of British Columbia.
Transportation Investment Corporation (TI Corp) is leading the delivery of the Broadway Subway Project on behalf of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. TI Corp will provide the controls, practices and other oversight that are essential for this complex project.
The project will be delivered under the province’s Community Benefits Agreement (CBA). Through the CBA, the project will increase training and apprenticeship opportunities and prioritize hiring locals, Indigenous peoples, women, people with disabilities and other traditionally under-represented groups, including youth, who want to build a career in the skilled trades. BC Infrastructure Benefits is responsible for implementing the CBA for the project and will be the employer for the majority of the skilled workforce on the project.
Once opened, the commute from VCC-Clark Station to Arbutus Station will take about 11 minutes. This will save the average transit commuter almost 30 minutes a day, while also relieving traffic congestion along Broadway. Construction is scheduled to start later in 2020, with the line going into service in 2025.
The project budget is C$2.83 billion (US$2.11 billion), funded and delivered by the government of B.C., with contributions from the government of Canada and the city of Vancouver. The Broadway Subway project is a key part of the rapid transit program in the Metro Vancouver Mayors’ Council’s 10-Year Vision, funded by the governments of B.C. and Canada, TransLink and local municipalities.
