Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG) have announced two prequalified teams to design, build, finance and maintain a new Toronto courthouse (Canada).

The teams were selected based on criteria identified in the request for qualifications (RFQ) process that began in April 2016. Selection criteria included design and construction capability, experience, and the financial capacity to deliver a project of this size and complexity.

The following teams are prequalified for the new Toronto courthouse project:

• EllisDon Infrastructure 
  • Developer: EllisDon Capital Inc. 
  • Constructor: EllisDon Design Build Inc.
  • Design Team: Renzo Piano Building Workshop and NORR Limited 
  • Facilities Management: EllisDon Facilities Inc. and SNC Lavalin O&M 
  • Financial Advisor: EllisDon Capital
• Plenary Justice
  • Developer: Plenary Group (Canada) Ltd. 
  • Constructor: PCL Construction Canada Inc.
  • Design Team – WZMH Architects, Perkins Eastman and CGL RicciGreene 
  • Facilities Management: Johnson Controls Inc. ? Financial Advisor: TD Securities Inc.

The two teams will be invited to prepare proposals that will detail how they will design, build, finance and maintain the new courthouse. Once submissions are received, IO and MAG will evaluate the proposals, select a preferred bidder and then negotiate a final contract. A fairness monitor will oversee the entire process and the successful bidder is expected to be announced in fall 2017.

The new courthouse, located steps from St. Patrick subway station, directly north of the courthouse at 361 University Avenue, will bring together most of Toronto’s Ontario Court of Justice criminal courts operating across the city. Amalgamation of justice programs and services will reduce operational and facilities costs, make court administration more efficient, and better serve the community.

The new courthouse’s design will be modern and accessible with features such as:

• Video conferencing to allow witnesses to appear from remote locations and in-custody individuals to appear from detention facilities.
• Closed-circuit television to enable children and other vulnerable individuals to appear before the court from a private room.
• Courtroom video/audio systems to allow counsel to display video evidence recorded in various formats and for the simultaneous viewing of evidence.
• A single point of entry with magnetometers, baggage scanners, continuous video surveillance, and separate corridors for judiciary, members of the public and the accused for security reasons.
• Barrier-free access