TORONTO - Ontario has shortlisted three teams each to advance tunnelling work on the Scarborough Subway Extension and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension projects, part of the largest subway expansion in the province's history. Teams were shortlisted based on criteria identified in the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process that began in March 2020. Criteria included design and construction experience and the financial capacity to deliver a project of this size and complexity. Teams with the top three scores were then shortlisted for each project. "When our government was elected, we immediately reached out to listen to the market to ensure there was capacity and competition to bid on priority projects," said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. "The market has responded in an overwhelmingly positive manner and this shortlist is made up of a strong mix of Canadian and international bidders." These teams will be invited to respond to a Request for Proposals (RFP) to begin preparing their submissions that detail how they will deliver the project. Upon evaluating the proposals received, Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx expect to award these tunnelling contracts in mid-2021. "Investments in infrastructure projects will be essential for getting people back to work and improving the quality of life for people throughout the GTA," said Kinga Surma, Associate Minister of Transportation (GTA). " This shortlist is another key milestone that should send a clear signal that our government is ready to work with leaders in the private sector and all levels of the government to deliver on these four nationally significant subway projects." In April 2019, the province announced its new Subway Transit Plan for the GTA with a preliminary estimated cost of $28.5 billion. This includes four priority transit projects: the all-new Ontario Line; a three-stop Scarborough Subway Extension; the Yonge North Subway Extension; and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.