Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Hamilton has opened the new Birch Transit Centre, a $390.4-million Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) maintenance and storage facility designed to support the city’s expanding bus network.
Construction was carried out by Pomerleau, serving as the general contractor, while engineering design and contract administration were led by Arcadis.
Funding for the facility was shared across all three levels of government:
- Government of Canada: $142.8 million
- Government of Ontario: $92.6 million
- City of Hamilton: $155 million
The new facility addresses a long-standing capacity issue at HSR’s existing maintenance and storage yard. With bus ridership demand growing and service expanding, the previous infrastructure had reached its limits.
Along with significantly more indoor storage and maintenance space, the site has bus washing systems, administrative areas and infrastructure designed to support future battery-electric buses. By expanding capacity across two locations, HSR will be better able to keep buses serviced, protected from weather, and reliably available for daily operations.
Construction began in 2023, a major step in Hamilton’s effort to modernize transit service and prepare for continued growth in the coming years.
“Reliable public transit is essential to keeping Hamiltonians connected to jobs, schools, services and each other,” said Mayor Andrea Horwath. “Birch Transit Centre is an investment we are making today to support the future of our city.
“By strengthening HSR’s capacity and supporting a larger fleet, we are enhancing service for residents and visitors alike while building a stronger, more connected Hamilton for years to come.”
“Investments in public transit result in more connected communities, allowing people to more easily travel to and from work, school and home,” said Aslam Rana, Member of Parliament for Hamilton Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada. “The Birch Transit Centre will expand the capacity of HSR to meet the needs of Hamilton’s growing population.”
