Our Vancouver office is advising the province of British Columbia on this C$3.1bn (US$2.3bn) rapid transit rail project in Metro Vancouver. As well as eight stations, three bus exchanges, park-and-ride spaces, 55 SkyTrain vehicles and an operations and maintenance centre, this 16.5-km extension of the existing Expo SkyTrain Line will operate on electric power (generated from British Columbia’s hydro-electric facilities), reducing both emissions and the region’s dependency on fossil fuels. The project will support economic development in the Greater Vancouver area by extending rapid transit deep into the Fraser Valley, and will improve access to the region’s labour force and supply chain.

The project is being procured using three distinct models: (A) DBF for the guideway); (B) DB for the stations; and (C) DB (target price) for systems and trackwork. This unique approach was chosen by the province with a view to procuring the best contractor for each aspect of the project and overall value for money. We are advising on all aspects of the procurement of the project and contracting models, including the unique aspects of managing the interfaces between the contracts.