Waterloo Ion Stage 1 LRT

Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario

As a member of the GrandLinq consortium, Aecon helped Ontario’s Waterloo Region link its ever-growing urban communities with the construction of a new Light Rail Transit (LRT) public transportation system.

The Region of Waterloo awarded the design, build, finance, operation and maintenance to the GrandLinq consortium, consisting of Aecon, Keolis, Kiewit, Meridiam, and Plenary Group. The design-build portion of the project was, in turn, subcontracted to GrandLinq Contractors, a joint venture comprised of Aecon (51%) and Kiewit (49%). The scope of work for the JV team called for the construction of a 19-kilometre dual-track system (from Conestoga Mall in Waterloo to Fairview Park Mall in Kitchener); 19 LRT stations; two rest stations; the Operations, Maintenance and Storage Facility (OMSF); the Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) Car Wash Facility; and the Wayside Maintenance Facility.

CLIENT
Region of Waterloo

AWARDED CONTRACT VALUE
$583 million

START DATE
2014

19
KM OF LRT TRACK

56K
SQUARE METRES OF NEW SIDEWALK

200
PASSENGERS EXPECTED TO BE CARRIED BY EACH LRV

200K
NEW RESIDENTS PROJECTED TO MOVE TO WATERLOO REGION OVER NEXT 20 YEARS

The new LRT connects Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo and links them to other rapid transit systems including GO Transit and VIA Rail. Each LRV is expected to comfortably carry 200 passengers. The Region’s transit schedule calls for LRVs to run every eight minutes during morning and afternoon rush hours, and every 10 to 15 minutes during off-peak times. The trip between the two terminus points of Conestoga Mall (Waterloo) and Fairview Park Mall (Kitchener) is estimated to take about 40 minutes.

On June 21, 2019, GrandLinq Contractors reached substantial completion and turnover for Revenue Service on the project. The GrandLinq consortium, in which Aecon Concessions has a 10 per cent interest, will now manage operations and maintenance over the 30-year concession period.

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