York Region moves forward with major investment for Bus Rapid Transit design

Newmarket – Eric Jolliffe, Chairman and CEO of The Regional Municipality of York and Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of the City of Markham and Chair of the York Region Rapid Transit Board, announced the award of a design contract for the Highway 7 East Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

The contract for $7.66 million was awarded to CIMA Canada Inc. and GHD Limited Joint Venture for preliminary design services for approximately eight kilometres of BRT segments: from Birchmount Road to Kennedy Road via YMCA Boulevard in Markham Centre, along Kennedy Road from YMCA Boulevard to Highway 7, and along Highway 7 from Kennedy Road to Cornell Bus Terminal near Ninth Line. This project is centred around key future growth areas and will connect to existing BRT along Highway 7 west of Warden Avenue, serving businesses and supporting significant new housing units.

“On behalf of York Regional Council and The Regional Municipality of York, we are pleased to see the Region’s 10-year Capital Plan investments are delivering meaningful progress to plan and design the next phase of critically needed Bus Rapid Transit,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Eric Jolliffe, “We are looking forward to seeing these projects be ready for construction funding from senior levels of government and keeping our growing population moving on some of busiest roads in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.”

“We want a prosperous and sustainable future for residents, businesses and commuters in Markham and across York Region,” said Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham and Chair of the York Region Rapid Transit Board. “We’re pushing for progress, and that means investing in more Bus Rapid Transit on Highway 7 East to Markham Stouffville Hospital. Residents have been asking how the transportation needs for future growth will be met. Today’s announcement is a firm commitment on our part to deliver the rapid transit needed for future growth. Both the federal and provincial governments need to step up financially so that we can deliver this critical transit line.”

About York Region

The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns and provides a variety of programs and services to more than 1.3 million residents and over 58,000 businesses with 624,000 employees. More information about the Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/RegionalServices

About York Region Rapid Transit Organization

York Region Rapid Transit Corporation (YRRTC) advocates for investments in York Region's higher-order transit, and plans, designs and delivers rapid transit infrastructure on behalf of our Shareholder, York Region, to connect the Region's urban centres, destinations and communities. For more information, visit yrrtc.ca

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Media Contacts:

Stephanie Crowley, Corporate Communications, The Regional Municipality of York
Phone: 289-763-2598 Email: @email

Sarah Harris, Project Manager, Communications, York Region Rapid Transit Corporation
Phone: 289-716-3895, @email