Businesses that offer products and/or services to the high frequency rail sector may want to keep an eye on the Canadian market.
A little background: Back in 2016, VIA Rail proposed a high frequency rail (HFR) project that would operate in the Quebec City-Toronto corridor, and would offer “a faster, more frequent, accessible, and sustainable rail service in the most densely [populated] region of the country.” These improved, modern trains would connect the cities of Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Trois-Rivières, and Quebec City, and would extend over 1,000 kilometres of track.
In 2022, VIA HFR-VIA TGF Inc. was created to manage the HFR’s development and delivery as a dedicated project office, operating separately from VIA Rail. The request for proposal (RFP) process began last fall, and is continuing through to summer 2024. Three teams made it through the qualifying round, and are vying for the top spot in the RFP process.
As per the Transport Canada announcement:
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. This will allow for a rigorous assessment of the costs and benefits of incorporating high speed rail on each segment of the Corridor.
The RFP has yet to close, but companies interested in opportunities will want to keep an eye on VIA HFR’s opportunities page, where tenders and award notices will be posted. Companies may also want to scroll to the bottom of HFR-TGF’s home page and sign up for regular updates. And as always, monitor our website and social media channels for updates on this (and other) opportunities.
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