The consortium named GrandLinq is the successful bidder to build and operate the

Ion rapid transit Ion, stylized as ION, is an integrated public transportation network in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. It is operated by Keolis and is part of the Grand River Transit (GRT) system, partially replacing GRT's Route 200 ...

system in

Waterloo Region, Ontario The Regional Municipality of Waterloo (Waterloo Region or Region of Waterloo) is a metropolitan area of Southern Ontario, Canada. It contains the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo (KWC or Tri-Cities), and the townships of North Dumfr ...

. GrandLinq was one of three groups invited to bid on the system in February 2013. GrandLinq's partners include:

Plenary Group Plenary Group is an independent long term investor, developer and manager of public infrastructure, specialising in public–private partnerships. It was founded in 2004 by three former ABN Amro employees, with Deutsche Bank taking a 20% share ...

Canada; Meridiam Infrastructure Waterloo;

Aecon Aecon Group Inc. is a construction company in Canada that produces construction materials including asphalt and aggregate materials, and pre-construction and pre-fabrication materials developed in eight company-owned fabrication facilities acros ...

;

Kiewit Kiewit () is a Belgium, Belgian parish and village within the northernmost extension of the Flemish region, Flemish municipality of Hasselt. It also borders on the municipality of Zonhoven to the north and Genk to the east, with Kuringen, another ...

; Mass Electric Construction Canada;

Keolis Keolis is a French transportation company that operates public transport systems all over the world. It manages bus, rapid transit, tram, coach networks, rental bikes, car parks, water taxi, cable car, trolleybus, and funicular services. B ...

; STV Canada Construction;

AECOM AECOM (, ; formerly AECOM Technology Corporation; stylised A''Ξ''COM) is an American multinational infrastructure consulting firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The company's official name from 1990–2015 was AECOM Technology Corporation, ...

; and

CIBC World Markets CIBC Capital Markets is the investment banking subsidiary of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The firm operates as an investment bank both in Canadian and global equity and debt capital markets. The firm provides a variety of financial se ...

. In 2012, seven groups of partners indicated an interest in bidding on the system. In February, GrandLinq and two other groups, Tricity Transit System and Kitchener Waterloo Cambridge Transit Partners, were chosen as those which would be invited to submit proposals. In June the formal request for proposal was issued, and the three groups had until December to complete their bids. In March 2014, GrandLinq was identified as the preferred bidder in the staff report on the final bids, and approved by the Region's Planning and Works committee. Regional Council gave final approval on March 19, with financial close being made May 9.

References

External links

About GrandLinq - RideION.ca
{{Keolis, state=collapsed Keolis Rail infrastructure in Kitchener, Ontario Rail infrastructure in Waterloo, Ontario