Jean Habimana
Jean is a TAC director and the regional tunnel practice lead – east region for Hatch

The construction of Rem – Réseau Express Montréalais – is well underway and will see the construction of a 67km-long automated light rail network to link the south shore of Montreal to the city center as well as the airport and the western suburbs. The launch shaft for the approximately 3km-long single tube tunnel is almost finished and TBM delivery is expected this fall, with mining commencing in winter, to be driven underneath the Montreal Airport runways in spring next year. Additionally, excavation for the 70m-deep station at Edouard Montpetit is well underway on the University of Montreal main campus.

  • The Blue Line Extension Project, which will add five underground stations to the east of the existing line, has secured federal and provincial funding. The Société de Transport de Quebec (STM) has mobilized a project office that is currently finishing preliminary design while evaluation of project delivery method is approaching its conclusions that are expected to be announced in the fall. Final design for this CAD 3.9bn (USD 2.94bn) project will start in early 2020. Construction should start in 2021.
  • The Quebec Provincial Government has decided on the tunnel option to link the cities of Quebec and Levis underneath the Saint Lawrence River and preliminary studies are currently underway. The project delivery method and its budget are expected to be announced at the end of 2020.
  • The City of Quebec has secured federal and provincial funding to build 23km of new tramway that will include two sections of tunnels. A project office has been mobilized to carry out the reference concept design and prepare performance specifications for a design-build tender that is expected in summer 2020.
  • Tender design for the major upgrades of the Louis-H. La Fontaine Tunnel is nearing completion for the two teams that were pre-qualified late last year. The goal of the project is to prolong the lifespan the approximately 1.5km-long double tube immersed tunnel and comply with current codes, standards and best practices in fire life safety as well as emergency egress in case of a major fire event. Bids are due at the end of the year, contract award is expected early next year and construction work is expected to start in spring 2020.

Dan Ifrim
Dan, a tunnel and TBM expert at Hatch, is the new TAC Ontario Director

The Strong Tunnel Market in Ontario continues to keep the local contractors busy and attract more international competition from the US and from around the world.

Ontario continues to be the largest chapter of the Tunnelling Association of Canada. Its monthly events are attracting members and non-members from the tunnelling industry to seminars and presentations where we are sharing project success and lessons learned, as well as discussing new materials and technologies applicable to the tunnelling industry.

In addition to the monthly presentations there are field trips and social events that end with long discussions around a beer or a glass of wine. This year, at the request of members, the chapter is initiating an annual golf tournament. A survey was sent out to gather members’ interest.

At year end, in the first week of December, the annual social event completes the chapter’s activities with the celebration of Saint Barbara (patron saint of tunnellers). This is the time when we give recognition to the monthly event presenters, discuss our experiences and successes, and enjoy a drink over a sit-down dinner.

Beside chapter activities, the chapter committee members are involved in the final edits of the TAC coffee table book as well as the groundwork for the biennial TAC Conference that will be hosted in Toronto in 2020.

Currently there are numerous tunnel projects nearing construction completion, several new projects that have just started to break ground and a good number of upcoming projects that are in the design phase. Below is a summary of the most representative current, near term and future projects in Ontario:

Current Projects
Ottawa Combined Sewage Storage Tunnel (CSST)

The Ottawa CSST project consists of two tunnels: an east-west tunnel (EWT) through the downtown core from LeBreton Flats to New Edinburgh Park, and a north-south tunnel (NST) along Kent Street from Chamberlain Avenue to existing infrastructure, just behind the Supreme Court.

The tunnels, 3m internal diameter, will be lined by Precast Concrete Segments and have a total length of 6.3km, approximately, and 10-31m below ground. The CSST project will also include the construction of support buildings, such as odour control facilities and six drop shafts with diameters between 2-3m. The project was awarded to Dragados Tomlinson Joint Venture and construction commenced in the summer of 2016.
Owner: City of Ottawa; Anticipated completion: 2020

Burnhamthorpe Water project, Peel Region
The Burnhamthorpe Water project consists of improvements to the existing City of Mississauga and Region infrastructure and includes conventional tunnelling and microtunnelling works. The 3.8km main tunnel along Burnhamthorpe Rd (between Grand Park Drive and Cawthra Rd) with a 1,500mm diameter watermain inside. Microtunnelling will install the 600mm watermain along Duke of York boulevard between Webb Drive and City Centre Drive; and a 1,200mm Sanitary Sewer along Duke of York and along Burnhamthorpe Road.

The project was awarded to Technicore. The contractor started construction and progress is well underway.
Owner: Peel Region; Anticipated completion: 2020

Highway # 401 Rail Tunnel Project, Toronto
The Rail Tunnel project includes the construction of a second tunnel under Highway 401/409 to accommodate two tracks, future signaling and communications infrastructure; and replacing footings of the existing retaining walls that support the ramp from eastbound Highway 409 to eastbound Highway 401.

The project was awarded to the Toronto Tunnel Partners (consisting of EllisDon Capital Inc., and Strabag Inc.).
Owner: Metrolinx; Anticipated completion: 2021

Eglinton Crosstown (Stations Contract)
The Eglinton Crosstown project consisted of four tunnels, nine cross passages, shafts, and headwalls for a 5.75m internal diameter tunnel with a total excavated length of 20.4km. The project also include surface installed light rail east of Leslie Street. The Eglinton LRT is part of a CAD 4.9bn (USD 3.7bn) project to provide a dedicated LRT service along Eglinton Avenue. The tunnels were completed in 2017.

The second part consists of 13 stations including three stations mined by SEM. The contract was awarded to Crosslinx Transit Solutions (group consisting of Dragados, Aecon, EllisDon and SNC Lavalin). The project is well underway
Owner: Metrolinx; Anticipated completion: 2021

Coxwell Bypass
The Coxwell bypass project consist of a 10.6km-long tunnel, 6.3m internal diameter; entirely in Georgian Bay Formation at a depth of approximately 55m. The tunnel will be constructed utilizing a shielded multimode TBM. The project includes five tunnel shafts/chambers, 11 drop shafts/adits and two diversion chambers.

The project was awarded to North Tunnel Constructors ULC (consisting of Jay Dee, Michels and C&M McNally). The contractor has mobilized on site, ordered the TBM and started the entry shaft construction.
Owner: City of Toronto; Anticipated completion: 2024

Ashbridges Bay Outfall
The Ashbridges Bay Outfall project consist of a 3.5km-long tunnel, 7m internal diameter; under the Lake Ontario bed at depths up to 85m. The tunnel will be constructed using a shielded rock TBM and will be lined with precast concrete lining. The geology consists of soft rock/shale of the Georgian Bay Formation.

The project includes a starting shaft 14m in diameter and 85m deep and some 50 risers that will be installed from barges (marine construction). The project was awarded to SAJV (consisting of Southland and Astaldi). The contractor has mobilized on site, ordered the TBM and started the shaft construction.
Owner: City of Toronto; Anticipated completion: 2024

Microtunnelling Projects

Along with tunnelling, microtunnelling continues to contribute to the active underground work in Ontario. Many projects are being constructed all over the province, such as: Scarborough 1,050mm watermain; South Service Road, Burlington; Dixie Road & QEW crossing; Seaton-Pickering- Rossland Road; Streetsville, and various MTO highway crossings, etc. The microtunnel contractors involved with these projects are Ward & Burke, CRS Tunnelling, Earth Boring; and Marathon.

Near Term Projects

East Brampton Watermain Contract 2, Peel Region, Ontario
East Brampton Watermain Contract 2 is located in the City of Brampton, Peel Region. The East Brampton Watermain, Contract 2, involves the installation of approximately 4.5km of twinned 1,200/1,050mm and 1,500mm Watermain along Heart Lake Road, between Beckett Sproule Pumping Station and Clark Boulevard, Crossing Highway 410 at Clark Boulevard to Dixie Road and along Dixie Road up to Howden Boulevard in the City of Brampton.

The proposed twin watermains will be constructed in a single, large diameter tunnel. The single tunnel will be constructed at a depth between approximately 24 to 35m below grade, which will be entirely within rock consisting of shale with minor interbeds of siltstone and limestone.
Owner: Peel region, Anticipated tender 2020

Fairbanks Silverthorn Storm Trunk Sewer System, City of Toronto
This project consists of 2.5km of 3m- to 4m-diameter storm sewer tunnels, approximately 17m to 45m below ground. Work includes 1.8m diameter microtunnelling, approximately 12km of new local storm sewers ranging from 250mm to 1,800mm diameter via both open cut and microtunnelling. The project is currently in the detailed design phase.
Owner: City of Toronto; Anticipated tender: 2021

Upper York Sewage Servicing (UYSS) – York Durham Sewage System Modifications, New Market
This project involves approximately 5km trenchless works consisting of a combination of conventional tunnelling and microtunnelling with internal diameters ranging from 1.8m to 3m. The design requires nine shafts in soft ground with a high water table.

The tunnel alignments pass under sensitive infrastructure, including railways. The project is in design, awaiting environmental approval.
Owner: York Region; Anticipated tender: 2020

Future Projects

Massey Creek Tunnel, Toronto
The scope of the work on this project consists of 6.0km of 4.4m diameter soft ground tunnelling. Two shielded TBMs are envisioned to be used to complete the works. Depths range from 12m to 60m below grade. There will be four shafts and six tunnel connections.

The project is currently in the design stage; RFQ is anticipated to be in 2021 and construction in 2024.
Owner: City of Toronto

Scarborough Subway Extension, Toronto
The proposed Scarborough Subway Extension will replace the aging Scarborough RT and contribute to an integrated and comprehensive rapid transit network that will improve transit service in Scarborough and across Toronto. The new Scarborough Subway Extension would extend the Bloor-Danforth Subway (Line 2) north from Kennedy Station to Scarborough Centre. This will create a seamless journey for transit users by eliminating the need to transfer at Kennedy Station.

The project includes 6km of single bore tunnel 11m internal diameter and a terminus station. The project design is approaching 100 per cent submission and is expected to go to tender after design approval by the Owners.
Owner: TTC/Metrolinx

Relief Line South / Ontario Line, Toronto
The Relief Line Project is being studied in two parts: Relief Line South and Relief Line North.

The proposed Relief Line South, a 7.5km-long planned subway line with eight stations, will connect the Yonge-University- Spadina Subway (Line 1) downtown to the Bloor-Danforth Subway (Line 2).

The Relief Line South includes five in-line stations and three interchange stations at: Pape Station on the Line 2 Bloor- Danforth Subway, Line 1 Yonge-University-Spadina Subway at Queen and Line 1 Yonge-University-Spadina Subway Osgoode Stations.

The new line intends to relieve crowding on Line 1 south of Bloor, at the Bloor-Yonge Station, and on the surface transit routes coming in and out of downtown.
Owner: TTC/Metrolinx

Yonge Subway Extension, Toronto/Richmond Hill
The Yonge Subway Line 1 Extension is a cross-jurisdictional project from the City of Toronto into the City of Markham, City of Vaughan and the Town of Richmond Hill. The project would extend the subway line 7.4km north from Finch Station in Toronto to the Richmond Hill/Langstaff Gateway Urban Growth Centre at Highway 7.

The extension includes five stations at Cummer/Drewry, Steeles, Clark, Langstaff/Longbridge and Richmond Hill Centre. It will also include two intermodal terminals (at Steeles and Richmond Hill Centre Station) and 2,000 commuter parking spaces near Langstaff/Longbridge Station.

The tunnel diameter and stations configuration it is still under evaluation during the 30 per cent design phase, currently underway.
Owner: TTC/Metrolinx

Inner Harbour Tunnel, Toronto
The Inner Harbour tunnel is part of the Don River and Central Waterfront Projects initiated by the City of Toronto. The project is the last of the three projects, meant to keep combined sewer overflow out of our waterways through the upgrading of technology and capacity to capture, transport and treat it at the Ashbridges Treatment Plant.
Owner: City of Toronto

West Vaughan Sewage System Project – York Region, Ontario
The West Vaughan Sewage system project is in York Region. The project is currently in the design stage; and is anticipated to be constructed via TBM with internal tunnel diameter of 3m. The total length of tunnel is anticipated to be approximately 14km.
Owner: York Region

Jason Mann
TAC director, Manitoba and Prairies, and KGS’ department head – Environmental Services

Current Projects

From a busy 2018 construction season, 2019 continued with several tunnelling projects planned for the City of Winnipeg as part of two overlapping programs, the Basement Flood Relief program (BFR), and the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Management program.

Four major projects are underway as part of these programs. They include:

  1. Cockburn and Calrossie Sewer Relief Project
  2. Ferry Road Sewer Relief Project
  3. Jefferson Sewer Relief Project
  4. Transcona Sewer Relief Project

Together, these four projects have more than 14km of pipe installations in excess of 1,200mm; and include pipe diameters up to 3,000mm.

Recent or active tunnelling construction contracts include:

  • City of Winnipeg Northeast Interceptor Sewer River Crossing – Ward & Burke have completed the majority of the site works including shaft construction, and a 900mm-diameter sewer siphon crossing below the Red River, via microtunnelling in the carbonate bedrock. Final works within the siphon chambers for interconnections to the new crossing are underway.
  • City of Winnipeg Cockburn and Calrossie Sewer Relief Works (Contract 11) – Construction of Trunk Sewer and Land Drainage Sewer (LDS) Separation – just completed by Nelson River Construction. Included trunk sewer installed in two drives of 1,800mm diameter (230m drive length); and 1,500mm diameter (250m drive length).
  • City of Winnipeg Cockburn and Calrossie Sewer Relief Works (Contract 5) – Currently underway with trunk sewer installs by Dibco Underground Ltd. It includes a single 685m drive using conventional two-pass tunnelling, with initial support using ribs and lagging and carrier pipe consisting of 2,100 mm and 2,400mm diameter Centrifugally Cast Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer Mortar Pipe.

Near Term to Future Projects

Near-term City of Winnipeg tunnelling construction contracts (i.e., within approximately six to eight months):

  • City of Winnipeg Contract 12- construction begins in October, by J Con Civil Ltd. It includes trunk sewer installations of 1,500mm diameter (170m length), 1,350mm diameter (150m length); 1,200mm diameter (330m length); and 900mm diameter (135m length), and smaller associated piping.
  • The Jefferson East Combined Sewer Relief (Phase 2) is estimated to come forward with a general construction timeline of spring 2020 – winter/spring 2021, and consists of the following installations – 400m of 1,800mm diameter, and 1,200m of 2,100mm diameter. Tunnelling methods remain under consideration.

Investments in the Winnipeg CSO program are planned to continue, subject to the approval of Council. This planned investment in buried infrastructure has and continues to generate interest from tunnelling companies across North America.

Regina has embarked on a significant infrastructure renewal project within the critical downtown portion of the city. Drainage areas 1 & 17 combined encompass approximately 1,400 hectares of densely urbanized areas of the City, including portions of the downtown core and many major City attractions. Monitoring of the project design development continues.

Remco E. Kleinlugtenbelt
TAC Director for Alberta and a senior geotechnical specialist with Thurber

Heinrich Heinz stepped down as the regional director for TAC in November 2018 at our AGM during the TAC conference in Edmonton. He has served TAC over the last 10 years and we would like to thank Heinrich for his contribution.

Despite the economic downturn in the Province of Alberta, there is still a considerable amount of tunnelling activity. With the Edmonton Valley Line LRT tunnels’ breakthrough in April 2018 the most significant development in Alberta will be Calgary’s 46km, CAD 4.9bn (USD 3.7bn) Green Line LRT project – the largest infrastructure investment to date for the City of Calgary. Upon a recent review, the City has deemed the financial risks associated with tunnelling and deep excavations in the downtown core and under the Bow river excessive. At this point in time, tunnels shorter than the initially anticipated 4km are being considered, as are sections in cut-and-cover and a bridge to cross the Bow river.

On the smaller diameter scale, a highlight in Edmonton is the upcoming 99 Avenue Sanitary Tunnel Rehabilitation and Bypass Tunnel project. While in Calgary, a number of microtunnels have recently been successfully completed by specialist contractor Ward and Burke, with a few more about to get underway at the time of this publication. The highlight of these is the Inglewood Sanitary Trunk project, where the City is upgrading the capacity of the network with 4km of new sanitary pipe in order to meet current and projected wastewater needs. This new trunk is critical to maintaining a high-level of sanitary service to Inglewood and surrounding communities. Elsewhere in the Province, a short length of 900mm diameter microtunnel has recently been successfully completed in the mountain Town of Canmore, located in a floodplain where open gravels and a high groundwater table present challenging conditions for conventional trenching.

Stephanie Robillard,
Project engineer- Geotechnical, McMillen Jacobs, and TAC director for British Columbia

The British Columbia Tunnel market continues to be very busy with many of the large projects under procurement last year moving into construction – and many more advancing through procurement. The local chapter meets monthly for drinks, appetizers and a technical presentation at Steamworks Pub in Vancouver, between September and June. All are welcome.

2019 Projects-Under Construction

South Surrey Interceptor – Johnston Road Section
Metro Vancouver’s South Surrey Interceptor has been constructed by Ward and Burke using a combined microtunnelling/open cut approach. Five microtunnel drives were completed with a Herrenknecht AVN slurry machine. The 3,000mm ID HDPE lined pipe was installed between buildings with as little as 4m of horizontal clearance. Vertical cover was as low as 1.5m to ground surface, with even less to utilities under the 152nd Street road bed. Ward and Burke’s value-added approach included replacing a section of open-cut through business park with a challenging low-cover microtunnel drive. The MTBM successfully broke through on its final drive in April

Douglas Trunk Sewer
Metro Vancouver’s trenchless sewer projects also include the construction of the Douglas Trunk Sewer in Burnaby. Ward and Burke are executing the project’s 1.85km alignment, consisting of sections of microtunnel installed HDPE-lined reinforced concrete pipe (1,200mm ID) as well as sections of open cut installation (900mm and 750mm pipe). The three tunnel sections have now been completed, all by MTBM. The longest section was 580m. All three tunnel sections were extended to reduce the impact to the public, for a combined total of approximately 1,200m. Depth to invert ranges from 3m to 16m. The remainder of the alignment will be installed by open cut. There were a lot of existing utilities to deal with, including close proximity to the existing live trunk sewer and high pressure gas mains. The existing infrastructure will be connected to the new trunk sewer in phases, with the first live tie-in commencing this fall. The project is on schedule for completion by March 2020.

North Shore Conveyance
This Metro Vancouver project will link the new North Shore Waste Water Treatment Plant with the existing outfall below the Lions Gate Bridge. Michels Canada will install a new lift station to bring the flows from West Vancouver (through a 900mm force main) to the new treatment plant as well as a 2,100mm pressurized gravity outfall to take the treated flows back. Shaft work is well underway, with four of the seven secant pile shafts complete by Henry’s Drilling Foundations. The tunnel work includes eight drives, three at 1,800mm diameter and four at 2,500mm diameter and one at 3,000mm diameter. Project challenges include a high water table with connections to Burrard Inlet and the Capilano River, curves with radii as tight as 140m, and most of the project being executed within the CN Railway zone of influence. The project also includes sections of pipe installed by open cut that will pose their own challenges. Tunnelling operations began in August with a busy final 12 months scheduled to completion.

Site C – Diversion Tunnels
Construction for the main civil works is ongoing at BC Hydro’s Site C project in Fort St. John by Peace River Hydro Partners. Two diversion tunnels are required to redirect the Peace River and allow the construction of the main earthfill dam. Excavated tunnel diameter ranges from 12-15m with internal diameter of 10.8m after concrete lining. The tunnels are 700-800m in length and are being excavated using roadheader with a top heading and bench. Heading excavation on both tunnels was complete as of August. Bench excavation and tunnel lining are currently being carried out. Construction of the concrete structures to house the gate are also ongoing.

Second Narrows Water Supply Tunnel
Construction of Metro Vancouver’s next major marine crossing began early 2019 by Traylor-Aecon JV. The project includes a 1.1km-long, 6m-diameter tunnel under the Burrard Inlet, parallel to the Second Narrows Bridge, between Burnaby and North Vancouver. Access to the tunnel will be via a 70m-deep circular shaft in complex soils on the north side of the Inlet. Support of excavation at the North Shaft consists of deep slurry panels, which are currently under construction. Work has also begun at the South Site where a 100m deep rock shaft will be constructed. The tunnel will house three welded steel water mains (one 1.5m and two x 2.1m diameter). Construction will take place 2019 through 2023.

Upcoming Projects

Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment Plant Outfall
Metro Vancouver approved the award of a contract for the Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment Plant Outfall to Pomerleau Bessac General Partnership. Construction is anticipated to begin in Q4 2019. The project consists of two 40m-deep shafts adjacent to the Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, and a riser shaft conveying the plant effluent up from the outfall tunnel to the diffuser manifold installed at the bottom of the Fraser River. Approximately 800m of 4.2m-diameter TBM tunnelling will be completed to connect the shafts. The project will showcase a challenging marine operation to complete the tunnel drive under the river and construct a riser structure and diffuser for the outfall.

Broadway Subway Project- Millennium Line Extension
The Province of BC, in conjunction with Translink, will be constructing a 6km extension to the existing Millennium Line Skytrain in downtown Vancouver. All but 600m of the alignment will be housed in underground structures, primarily following Broadway St. The Design-Build-Finance project scope consists of 6km of running tunnel, and six underground stations, including a challenging underground connection to the operating Canada Line Broadway-City Hall station. Geologic conditions consist primarily of weak sandstone and mudstone overlain by glacial sediments. Two short-listed design build teams are competing with proposals due spring 2020. Construction is projected to take place 2020 to 2025.

Eagle Mountain Gas Pipeline
FortisBC Energy, in conjunction with Woodfibre LNG, are undertaking the construction of a 47km gas pipeline extension from Coquitlam to the new Woodfibre LNG facility, west of Squamish. A 9km-long tunnel to house the 24” pipe will be constructed to protect the sensitive Squamish River estuary and reduce community impacts. The tunnel project, which has entered the procurement phase, includes 3km of soft ground pressurized face TBM tunnelling and 6km of hard rock tunnelling, terminating at the Woodfibre LNG facility. Three design-build teams have been short-listed by RFQ and will compete during the RFP process. Construction is set to start in 2020.

The Annacis Water Supply Tunnel
The Annacis Water Supply Tunnel project is another major Metro Vancouver marine crossing to provide reliable drinking water to the region. The project is located between New Westminster and Surrey, BC under the Fraser River. The project consists of two deep shafts 50-70m deep on either side of the Fraser River and a 2.3km-long tunnel between them to house a 2.6m-diameter steel water main pipe. A valve chamber will be constructed on either side. The proposed tunnel ID is 3.9m and tunnelling under the river in saturated sediments is estimated to reach pressures as high as 6.9 bar. Currently the project is at 90 per cent design. Detailed design continues through 2019 with RFQ and RFP planned for mid-2020.

Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel
To meet the growing demand for drinking water in the region, Metro Vancouver is planning to construct a major water infrastructure project, called the Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel, deep underground in Stanley Park. The project consists of a 1.4km-long bedrock tunnel that will house a 2.6m-diameter water main, which will replace the existing water main through the park that was built in the 1930s. The project involves the excavation of three shafts and two tunnel drives through weak sedimentary bedrock (primarily sandstone, siltstone and mudstone) as well as construction of two new valve chambers. The project is entering detailed design in Q4 of 2019 and construction is scheduled to begin in 2021.