THE long-running dispute between Metrolinx and Bombardier over the late delivery of LRVs for new light rail lines in the Toronto area took another turn on May 12, when Ontario provincial minister for transportation Mr Steve Del Duca announced the agency has placed a $C 529m ($US 386m) order with Alstom to for 61 low-floor LRVs.

THE first Flexity Freedom LRV for the initial phase of the Ion light rail network in the Canadian city of Waterloo was loaded onto a lorry at Bombardier’s plant in Thunder Bay, Ontario, on February 15 in readiness for delivery, which is expected to take 10-12 days.

INFRASTRUCTURE Ontario (IO) and Toronto and Hamilton transport authority Metrolinx have issued a Request for Qualification (RFQ) for a contract to design, build, finance, operate and maintain Hamilton’s light rail B Line.

TORONTO and Hamilton transit authority Metrolinx confirmed on November 3 that it has filed a notice of intent to terminate a contract worth up to $C 770m ($US 574.2m) for up to 182 Flexity Freedom LRVs.

CONSTRUCTION of Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown light rail line reached a significant milestone on August 18 when tunnel boring machines Don and Humber broke through at Yonge Street, marking the completion of tunneling on the 10km underground section between Keele Street and Laird Drive.

TORONTO and Hamilton transport authority Metrolinx has purchased an additional 125 Bombardier double-deck coaches for the the Go Transit commuter rail network in a deal worth $C 428m ($US 328m).

THE Canadian province of Ontario is to provide $C 205m ($US 160m) to help advance work for the Yonge North subway extension and the proposed Relief Line which is designed to help relieve congestion on Toronto Transit Commission's (TTC) Yonge Line.

METROLINX, the regional transport authority for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, has received a prototype locomotive from Wabtec subsidiary MotviePower, which the supplier says is the first North American commuter locomotive to meet Tier 4 emissions standards.

TORONTO and Hamilton transit authority Metrolinx outlined the four options being considered for the core of the Toronto Regional Express Rail (RER) network at a board meeting on February 10.

THE mayor of Toronto Mr John Tory confirmed on January 19 that plans to expand the commuter rail network west of the city will be dropped in favour of a light rail alternative after a study highlighted concerns over construction costs and ridership projections for the heavy rail option.