4TRANSIT joint venture wins CAD $300 million Metrolinx Contract for Regional Express Rail Program

The 4TRANSIT joint venture, comprising three leading Canadian engineering consulting firms, Hatch, Parsons, and WSP (TSX:WSP), is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a CAD $300 million contract for providing technical advisory services for two major work packages tendered under Metrolinx’s 10-year Regional Express Rail (RER) Capital Program.

The RER Capital Program – a CAD $13.5 billion undertaking that also includes a CAD $7 billion State of Good Repair and Optimization and Expansion program – is designed to transform the GO Transit rail network in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) to a two-way, all-day electrified service, where trains run every 15 minutes or better. This program will significantly boost the frequency and overall number of trips the GO Transit system offers. Metrolinx anticipates increased GO Transit ridership to approximately 127 million customers within five years of the RER Capital Program’s completion and expects to reduce journey times for select cross-region transit trips by as much as 50 per cent.

Michael Schatz, Hatch’s Global Managing Director of Infrastructure, comments, “Hatch is very pleased to be serving Metrolinx and the GTHA community by working on the Regional Express Rail Program with our joint venture partners. Through collaboration, technical excellence and a focus on outcomes, we look forward to a successful implementation of the program.”

Mike Johnson, Parsons’ Infrastructure Group President, notes, “This massive transformation of the GO rail network represents the convergence of innovative technology and a fast-track infrastructure expansion that will benefit everyone in the GTHA. Metrolinx has entrusted Parsons and the entire 4TRANSIT team to help bring this important project to fruition, drawing on our extensive rail transit experience in Canada and across the world.”

Hugo Blasutta, WSP Canada’s President and Chief Executive Officer, states, “WSP is delighted to be working on another vital project with Metrolinx and our joint venture colleagues. Our selection reinforces the value of WSP’s comprehensive rail systems and infrastructure expertise, our reputation for delivering innovative solutions and our ability to drive complex, integrated projects to successful completion.”

About 4TRANSIT Joint Venture

4TRANSIT Joint Venture was created on April 16, 2009 as an unincorporated joint venture, with each of the three partners – WSP Canada Group Limited, Hatch Corporation and Parsons Inc. – contributing an equal one-third share. 4TRANSIT’s partners share extensive and successful past experience delivering technical expertise on multiple large-scale transit projects such as Eglinton Crosstown LRT. 4TRANSIT is governed by an executive committee comprising one representative from each partner company.

About Parsons

Parsons is a technology-driven engineering services firm with more than 70 years of experience in the engineering, construction, technical, and professional services industries. The corporation is a leader in many diversified markets with a focus on infrastructure, industrial, federal, and construction. Parsons delivers design/design-build, program/construction management, and other professional services packaged in innovative alternative delivery methods to federal, regional, and local government agencies, as well as to private industrial customers worldwide. For more about Parsons, please visit www.parsons.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.