As announced on July 6, 2021, HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN IN RIGHT OF CANADA (“Canada”) is taking the steps necessary to launch the procurement process of the High Frequency Rail Project (“HFR Project”). The HFR Project would be the largest rail transportation infrastructure project undertaken by Canada in decades and would transform intercity passenger travel in Canada by providing a modern, resilient and sustainable rail service on mostly new and electrified tracks between the major centres of Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. The HFR Project will seek to deliver an enhanced passenger experience that would provide more frequent, faster and more reliable service on modern accessible trains with improved operational performance. It would support regional growth and economic development in the Corridor by providing new services to communities and introduce innovative and sustainable solutions to contribute to Canada reaching its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
In 2019, Canada established the Joint Project Office (“JPO”) as a joint venture between the CIB and VIA Rail to: conduct de-risking, due diligence, pre-procurement and planning activities; explore and analyze operating models; and develop evidence-based options of procurement and financing for the HFR Project. The JPO was mandated to assess various alignment, technology and procurement options. Based on its analysis in 2020 – 2021, the JPO delivered a Reference Business Case to Canada.
Building on the work done to date and harnessing the expertise of the JPO, Canada has established the Integrated HFR Project Team to support project governance and project implementation. During the Procurement Phase, the Integrated HFR Project Team is led by Transport Canada and includes members from Infrastructure Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and VIA Rail with the support of the CIB and the Department of Justice. The contribution of this multidisciplinary team, brought together through a commitment to collaboration and project optimization, and supported by external advisors with global expertise, provides the project with diverse knowledge, including technical, operational, procurement, commercial and financial. The responsibilities of each participant are as follows:
• Transport Canada is the federal department that is the Project Authority on behalf of the Minister of Transport.
• Public Services and Procurement Canada is the Procurement Authority and will lead the procurement process.
• Infrastructure Canada brings expertise in delivering large infrastructure projects.
• VIA Rail provides advice on the technical and operational aspects of passenger railway services.
• The CIB provides advice on financial, commercial and transactional aspects of the HFR Project. The CIB is also expected to be a potential investor in the HFR Project.
• The Department of Justice is the legal counsel to the Government of Canada.
The Successful Respondent will be engaged by the CIB in its role as the contracting party for the Transaction and Financial Advisor contract. The contract between the CIB and the Successful Respondent will provide that the CIB may assign such contract to the VIA subsidiary and the Successful Respondent consents to such assignment.
