March 2, 2022 — Press release from the City of Burlington
On March 1, an update on the Burloak Grade Separation project was shared at a Special Council meeting. City Council was informed of the significant escalation to the overall project cost, which Metrolinx has requested the partner municipalities help to cover.
The Burloak Grade Separation Project, a project led by Metrolinx, and in partnership with the Town of Oakville, would see the construction of an underpass (road-under-rail) at the existing at-grade crossing on Burloak Drive. This project is part of the GO Expansion – Lakeshore West Infrastructure Improvements work.
On October 12, 2018 all parties agreed on a capped cost share, of 50 per cent Metrolinx and 25 per cent each for Burlington and Oakville, for a total project cost of $60 million. Metrolinx recently informed the City of Burlington and the Town of Oakville that the total project cost is now $177 million.
Following the update, City Council passed a motion calling on Metrolinx to adhere to the previously agreed upon capped costing arrangement for the project.
[Editor’s Note: The councillor for the ward in which the grade separation is planned to go, Councillor Paul Sharman, seconded the motion.]
The contract for this project was awarded by Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx on Feb. 28, 2022.
Burloak Grade Separation Project: What’s Involved
- Construction of an underpass (road-under-rail) at the existing at-grade crossing including retaining walls and provisions to electrify the GO service
- Temporary detour of Burloak Drive to the east to build the underpass below the rail corridor
- Two road closures at the rail crossing for several weeks to complete the road detour
- Temporary diversion of existing tracks to the south during construction
- Relocation of utilities (e.g. sewer, hydro, and communications) to build the underpass
Quick Facts
- Over the last seven years staff from the City of Burlington, the Town of Oakville and Metrolinx have been working collaboratively and diligently on the design, costing and procurement for the Burloak Grade Separation.
- Burloak Drive road-rail crossing grade separation was announced by the federal and provincial government in 2015. The City of Burlington, in conjunction with the Town of Oakville, completed an environmental assessment in 1994 to grade separate Burloak Drive.
- October 12, 2018, all parties agreed on a capped cost share for a total project cost of $60 million. We are unable to break out the actual costs for the grade separation as the project was tendered with 7 other projects through Infrastructure Ontario’s Public-Private-Partnership (3P) procurement model.
- May 2021 – present – Metrolinx reviewed tender submissions and began cost and scope negotiation with preferred proponent. Municipalities were excluded from this process.
- June 2021 – Financial cost of projects known by Metrolinx as well as massive overrun compared to project budget. Municipalities were excluded from process.
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Mayor Marianne Meed Ward
“This is the kind of government cost overrun and delay that rightly makes our residents fume and demand answers. It is beyond belief that this project is several years late and has ballooned from an estimated cost of $60 million to $177 million. There was no warning to our staff, no accountability and no transparency about the cause of the overruns that are well above even the usual increases we’ve seen recently in labour and materials. We were all blindsided. To then demand the City contribute an additional $30 million to cover these overruns, on top of the capped $15 million amount we have agreed to, is completely unacceptable.
Our City Council, together with staff, must send a strong message that the lack of collaboration and transparency is not an appropriate way to treat a municipal partner. We will work with our MPPs to get the ear of the Premier, Minister of Transportation and Metrolinx for an immediate meeting to discuss a way forward that is agreeable to all of us — on a project that started out being 100% funded jointly by the Federal and Provincial governments.”
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