TORONTO - Infrastructure Ontario, in partnership with Waterfront Toronto, announced today that Dundee Kilmer Development Limited is the preferred proponent selected to design, build and finance the Athletes' Village project located in the West Don Lands. 

The Athletes' Village will provide accommodations for the athletes and officials participating in the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.  After the Games, the Village area will become a mixed-use, inclusive and pedestrian-friendly riverside community that will include affordable housing as outlined in Waterfront Toronto's Precinct Plan for the West Don Lands. 

The selection of the Dundee Kilmer Development Limited as the preferred bidder is the result of an open, fair and competitive procurement process, which was overseen by a third party fairness advisor, and included extensive evaluations of the three submitted bids. Throughout the bidding process, Dundee Kilmer Development Limited consistently demonstrated its proven experience and capabilities in financing, designing, developing and constructing large, world-class facilities. The team includes: 

  • Dundee Realty Corporation - Equity Investor, Developer 
  • Kilmer Van Nostrand Co. Limited - Equity Investor, Developer 
  • EllisDon Corporation - Design Builder, Constructor 
  • Ledcor Design Build (Ontario) Inc. - Design Builder, Constructor 
  • Brookfield Financial Corp. - Financial Advisor 
  • architectsAlliance - Joint Venture Architect 
  • Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg - Joint Venture Architect 
  • Daoust LeStage Inc. - Urban Design Architect  
  • TEN Arquitectos - Design 

Infrastructure Ontario and Waterfront Toronto will begin negotiating contract details with the preferred bidder. Following finalization of a contract, the project is expected to reach commercial and financial close in fall 2011, which will mean that relevant contracts have been signed and the project's costs are finalized.

Project costs will be announced publicly following financial close and construction of the Athletes' Village is expected to begin shortly thereafter.

The Athletes' Village project will also include construction of non-residential facilities such as a media centre, transport mall and polyclinic, where athletes will receive a range of health-care services. Infrastructure Ontario and Waterfront Toronto are working with Games organizing committee Toronto 2015 (TO2015) to develop these elements.

The project includes the design and construction of: 

  • a new mixed-use neighbourhood, including market and affordable housing; 
  • an environmentally sustainable community that aims to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold certification for the design and construction of the new permanent facilities. LEED® standards focus on healthy indoor environments, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and efficient use of energy, water and other resources; and 
  • new roads and services, such as hydro, sewer and water infrastructure.

The project is proceeding under Infrastructure Ontario's Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model whereby risks associated with designing, constructing, and financing the facilities are transferred to the private sector. 

Infrastructure Ontario and TO2015 are working together to procure and deliver the Athletes' Village as well as working with municipalities, universities and provincial agencies to develop other Games venues across the GTA and Golden Horseshoe, such as the Aquatics Centre, the Velodrome, the Pan Am Athletics and Soccer Stadia and others.

Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to delivering some of the province's larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects, on time and on budget; managing one of the largest real estate portfolios in Canada and providing real estate services, such as asset management and property and land management; and providing the public sector and not-for-profit organizations with long-term financing to renew public infrastructure.  

The Governments of Canada and Ontario and the City of Toronto created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto's waterfront. Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development, economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of waterfront revitalization. 

Quotes: 

Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Infrastructure 
“This project reaffirms the government's commitment to making Ontario a greater place to live, work and visit through the renewal of vital infrastructure.” 

Contacts: 

Mandy Downes
Infrastructure Ontario 
416-327-5246

Tari Stork 
Waterfront Toronto 
416-214-1344