Project Life Cycle

Procurement   

Metrolinx’s procurement strategies are designed to ensure the public receives the best possible project, maximize competitive and fair bidding with the most qualified vendors, and ultimately deliver a project in the most cost-effective and efficient way. Depending on the project, the procurement process may begin either before or after project design has begun. 

Metrolinx reviews and evaluates design proposals submitted by bidders to ensure they conform to project and regulatory requirements. 

Procurement Delivery Model

The key to successfully delivering a project is selecting the best procurement delivery model – the plan for how we manage and deliver a project. There are different ways to do this, depending on the project's size, complexity, and appetite from the market. A delivery model sets up the roles and responsibilities for Metrolinx and our contractor, providing a framework for the entire construction process from beginning to end. 

The length of the procurement stage depends entirely on the complexity of a project. For larger, more complex projects – including those that integrate with other transit systems or services – we develop a procurement delivery strategy that can meet the demands of both the project and potential contractors. In this case, we may break up the project into smaller pieces and bring on different companies to deliver each package of work based on their expertise. This approach to project delivery makes it more manageable and encourages greater collaboration and accountability between Metrolinx and our contractors.  

Learn more about procurement delivery models.  

Funding and Project Budget

Metrolinx's capital projects are funded by the Province and may also receive funding through the Province’s funding partnerships with other levels of government.  

A project's funding needs become clearer as we advance through the detailed planning and design stages and are updated when we assess project options during the business case process.  

The total estimated cost of a project may change over the course of its life cycle when we reach key project milestones, such as taking it to market to find a contractor.  

As we get closer to completing a project, we oversee and manage our budgets and work with the Province to determine the current funding needs to deliver the project.