Waterfront East Light Rail Transit - Advancing Enabling Work with the Quayside Infrastructure and Public Realm Project

Along the WELRT alignment, and within the Quayside precinct, Waterfront Toronto in collaboration with the City is also undertaking the Quayside Infrastructure and Public Realm project (QIPR) to design and construct streets, servicing and public spaces. In June 2025, Waterfront Toronto notified the City of an opportunity to expedite delivery of two WELRT enabling works projects in coordination with the QIPR project (see Attachment 1 - Figure 2 for location): 1. Construction of an electrical duct bank on Small Street; and 2. Relocation of a Toronto Hydro Electric System Limited (THESL) duct bank below Queens Quay East, west of Small Street (collectively the "Enabling Works"). Coordinating construction of these two Enabling Works projects with the QIPR project will benefit the City by: - Avoiding future construction complexity due to the proximity of the work to the future Inner Harbour West Tunnel shaft along Small Street; - Designing and installing new electrical connections to the THESL duct bank on Queens Quay East; - Accelerating work that would be delayed due to the Gardiner Expressway Realignment project, and development of the Quayside community; - Protecting for and enabling the WELRT electrical substation construction at the preferred location; - Avoiding a need to override the moratorium on construction following reopening of Small Street and Queens Quay East; and - Reducing costs and project risk by delivering the Enabling Works now, rather than in the future. Given that the utilities portion of the QIPR contract is currently in procurement with award anticipated in September 2025, a funding commitment for the Enabling Works is required by Waterfront Toronto to take advantage of this opportunity for construction coordination. This report seeks City Council authority to provide Waterfront Toronto with up to $5.05M of the existing Council approved WELRT funding to deliver the Enabling Works through the QIPR project. Subject to Council approval of this report, and entering into an agreement with Waterfront Toronto, construction for these works is anticipated to begin in Q1 2026 and take approximately 5 months to complete.

construction of a duct bank on Small Street; and b. relocation of a Toronto Hydro Electric System Limited (THESL) duct bank underneath Queens Quay East, west of Small Street (collectively the "Enabling Works"). 2. City Council authorize the Executive Director, Transit Expansion to negotiate and execute an agreement, including amendments thereto, with Waterfront Toronto, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Transit Expansion and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, to facilitate the delivery of the Enabling Works.