Canada Line

Outcome
The Canada Line, formerly called the Richmond-Airport-Vancouver (RAV) Line, opened in August 2009 – three months ahead of the originally planned November opening. Funded by the federal and provincial governments, the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (GVTA) and the Vancouver International Airport Authority, the project was designed, built, partially-financed and operated by InTransitBC. RAVCO was the management company overseeing the contract on behalf of the public sector. Construction began in 2005, following environmental certification.

InTransitBC won the Infrastructure Deal of the Year Award (Americas) for the Canada Line Rapid Transit Project at the Project Finance International Awards held in London in 2006. The project was also named Deal of the Year for North American Transport by Euromoney in 2006.

Background
The Canada Line project was the result of 15 years of planning for rapid transit in Greater Vancouver. Canada Line is an automated rail-based rapid transit service that connects Vancouver with central Richmond and the Vancouver International Airport – linking growing residential, business, health care, educational and other centres in the region.

Kirk & Co. designed and implemented a comprehensive public consultation program, facilitating public input into the early project definition and design phases of the transit project. In addition, Kirk & Co. assisted in the design and development of Canada Line's community relations program.

Public Materials
Kirk & Co. developed media and web materials for the project, the competitive selection process and the public consultation. Materials included discussion guides and feedback forms, display boards, postcards, newspaper information pieces and web materials. Kirk & Co. assisted RAVCO with media announcements such as the contractor selection announcement and other major milestone announcements. In addition, Kirk & Co. organized regular community updates and coordinated the production of artists’ renderings of the bridge and other key features of the project.

Key Milestones
Key milestones include:

• Planning and procurement phases of Canada Line, included approval for the project
• Completion of two phases of public consultation
• Extensive issues management and community liaison concerning the selection of cut-and-cover tunnel technology.
• Large public forums associated with the environmental review process.