Metrolinx, the regional transportation agency for metro Toronto, has approved an availability-pay DBFOM for its heavy rail division that has a capital budget of about Cdn $7 billion, including allocations of Cdn $4.5 billion for infrastructure and Cdn $2.5 billion for vehicles.

Just before Christmas, it shortlisted five operators heavily weighted with international train businesses that can become members of consortiums. The operators were named so they can help define the infrastructure needed. They are:

• First Rail Express (UK-based FirstGroup and Canadian construction and infrastructure finance business EllisDon);
• French businesses Keolis / SNCF;
• Hong Kong finance and transit business MTR Corp.;
• Toronto Regional Express Expansion (including Deutsche Bahn and Australian builder/operator John Holland;
• Trans Regional Rail Group (Serco and Frances’s RATP Dev).