Toronto pondered over the idea of a privately-managed tunnel as a potential solution to traffic problems
Aecon's Proposed Tolled Tunnel Under the Gardiner Expressway Remains Unrealized
In October 2017, construction firm Aecon presented a visionary proposal to then-Mayor John Tory and senior city staff, aiming to address congestion on Toronto's highways. The plan, dubbed "GTConnect," suggested a large-scale, privatized, tolled tunnel project under the Gardiner Expressway.
According to the proposal, the project would have included a dual tunnel for the Gardiner Expressway and an expanded two-lane Don Valley Parkway (DVP), all tolled for a 50-year period. Aecon estimated that the initiative would create approximately 2,000 construction jobs and offer new land development opportunities.
The timeline for the project, as detailed by Aecon, indicated that environmental assessments could take up to two years, followed by multi-year construction phases, culminating in about six years to complete the Gardiner tunnel itself.
Following the presentation, records show that Tory's office arranged a meeting with Aecon CEO John Beck on October 20, 2017. The idea was then pitched to the federal government for funding from the Canada Infrastructure Bank, but the plan did not progress beyond initial meetings and was eventually shelved.
Emails obtained by Global News confirm the meetings between Tory's office and Aecon. The proposal was part of broader private-sector unsolicited bids received by the Ontario government to address highway congestion, including highway 401 tunnel ideas, but these faced challenges and risks that led to abandonment or postponement.
Fast forward to 2019, the idea was revived and moved north to target gridlock on Highway 401. However, the city later dropped the idea, and sources suggest it was considered moot when the city decided to rehabilitate the Gardiner instead.
Interestingly, the Ford government is currently studying a plan to build beneath Highway 401, which bears similarities to Aecon's pitch. In 2015, John Beck, then-CEO of Aecon, proposed a twin tunnel project under the Gardiner Expressway to relieve congestion, marking the beginning of this intriguing transportation saga.
Despite the initial discussions and feasibility work, no outcomes indicating construction or implementation of the Gardiner Expressway tunnel proposal by Aecon are recorded, suggesting that it remained a conceptual plan without progression into active project development or approval.
In light of current discussions, it's worth noting that the Ford government is exploring technology-driven solutions to reduce gridlock on Highway 401, similar to the 2015 technology-oriented proposal by Aecon for a tunnel under the Gardiner Expressway. Previous debates about sports (such as the allocation of resources) may have influenced political decisions regarding infrastructure projects like the tolled tunnel under the Gardiner Expressway, that despite extensive feasibility work, remained unrealized due to various challenges and risks.
