Redevelopment Project Attracts Wide Interests  

TORONTO - The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Ontario announced today the four companies short-listed to submit proposals to design, build, finance, maintain and operate Ontario's 23 service centres across Highways 400 and 401.  

“Ontario's highway service centres are important to travelers and tourists who rely on them for a safe place to rest, eat and re-fuel,” said Transportation Minister Jim Bradley.  “I am glad this project is moving forward.  The new operator will renovate these centres, with modern amenities to create a positive reflection of Ontario.” 

The bidders short-listed for this project were pre-qualified through the request for qualifications (RFQ).  The short-listed bidders include: 

  • Áreas (Anonimous Society) S.A. 
    Áreas S.A. 
    Carillion Canada Inc. 
    RBC Capital Markets
  • Brookfield Asset Management Inc./Trinity Development Group
    Brookfield Asset Management Inc. 
    Trinity Development Group 
  • Host Kilmer Services Centres Inc. 
    Host International of Canada Ltd. (HMSHost) 
    Kilmer Van Nostrand Co. Limited 
    Clough, Harbour & Associates LLP 
    Cubellis Inc.
    Forum Leasehold Partners Inc. 
  • Morguard Service Centres SPV  
    Morguard Investments Limited 
    National Bank Financial

“We're pleased to see so much interest in this project,” said Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal David Caplan. “It's exciting to see our infrastructure renewal efforts attracting the types of organizations whose experience will help us to provide world-class services to the public and create economic opportunities for local communities.”

The short-listed bidders have varied backgrounds in commercial development and managing highway service areas, as well as, retail, food and beverage concessions.

A RFQ was issued on August 28, 2007 and closed on October 24, 2007.  Bidders were pre-qualified based on their capabilities and approach to partnering with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation as well as, their development, operations, and financial capacity for projects of this size and complexity.

The pre-qualified bidders will be invited to respond to a RFP in winter 2008.

The redeveloped service centres will provide many benefits to motorists.  The new operator will be required to keep the facilities open 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week, year-round. Also, the service centres will provide travelers a place to park and rest, buy fuel and food, and use public telephones, washrooms, picnic areas and drinking fountains.  

As part of the RFP proposals, bidders will need to demonstrate a commitment to road safety.  They will be asked to optimize the use of the service area lands and to recommend innovative services to better serve the travelling public and commercial motorists. 

“Modernizing the service centres will help to build Ontario's tourism industry and provide opportunities for us to showcase local adventures and vibrant communities” said Minister of Tourism Peter Fonseca. 

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation will manage the procurement of the new operator with Infrastructure Ontario, a Crown Corporation dedicated to the renewal of the province's hospitals, courthouses and other essential public assets. 

Using an Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model that ensures appropriate public control and ownership, Infrastructure Ontario uses private financing for large-scale and complex projects to strategically rebuild vital infrastructure, on time and on budget.

All infrastructure projects will be guided by the principles in the government's Building a Better Tomorrow framework, ensuring public ownership of core public assets such as hospitals, schools and water and wastewater facilities.

Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca for more information. 

Contacts: 

Bob Nichols 
Ministry of Transportation 
416-327-1158 

Amy Tang 
Minister's Office 
Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal
416-325-4048 

Paulette den Elzen 
Infrastructure Ontario 
416-327-5764