(The following article be Jennifer Lewington was published by the Globe and Mail on May 23.)
TORONTO — The federal government is pushing ahead with a rail link between downtown Toronto and Pearson Airport, with an announcement expected later today by federal Transport Minister David Collenette.
The selection of a winning bid — among four private consortia that have expressed interest in carrying out the project valued at between $300-million to $500-million — could come as early as this fall, federal sources said yesterday.
Today, Mr. Collenette is scheduled to spell out the ground rules that the government will set for the evaluation of any business proposals by private developers for building the proposed air-rail link.
Federal sources say that private interests will make their proposals by late August, with a potential selection of the winning bidder by fall.
The notion of a rail link between Union Station and Pearson Airport has long been a Collenette dream. The minister is an avowed railway enthusiast who wants to put Toronto among a select group of American and European cities offering rail commuter service for those travelling to and from airports.
But Mr. Collenette’s dream has never had a keen reception from civic transit authorities or Pearson officials, largely because of the cost relative to the number of people who travel to and from downtown Toronto.
By one estimate, only 17 per cent of Pearson travellers use ground transport to and from downtown Toronto.
In theory, according to federal officials, the air-rail project would be built with private-sector money, although the track and surrounding property is in public hands.
But ever since Mr. Collenette first raised the idea of a rail link in 2001, transit officials have been skeptical about whether a winning bidder could finance the project without public subsidies.
In today’s announcement, the minister is expected to lay out a long list of issues to be answered by potential bidders, including the type of train they might use, how they would finance construction and how they would market the service to the public.
One political question will be the impact of a rail link to Pearson on efforts, now under way, for a new regional air service at Toronto City Centre Airport.
The downtown airport is under the wing of the Toronto Port Authority, a federal agency. Critics of expanding the island airport argue it would become redundant if Mr. Collenette produces the rail link, particularly given the depressed airline industry.
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which is completing a major expansion of Pearson, is expected to be at today’s announcement along with GO Transit, the Toronto-region rail-and-bus commuter service.
Both agencies, along with CN Rail, will be key players if a private-sector bidder proceeds with a rail link.
For example, possible rail service to Pearson would be run on the current GO Transit corridor between Union Station and Georgetown.
To date, Transport Canada has given $20-million to the GTAA so that its own transit system within the expanded airport would be compatible with any rail link.
In addition, the federal government recently announced $1.2-billion in funding for GO Transit, some of which would go for track improvements and grade separations (so rail lines and roadways don’t cross).
The proposed rail link would have to share the track with existing service provided by GO Transit and CN Rail.
If it proceeds, the project is expected to include a second track and new bridge along the Humber River, as well as a loop near the Woodbine racetrack to connect with transit provided within Pearson.