Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario government has issued a Stage Gate Request for Proposals (RFP) to design and build a new Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment on Ontario Place’s East Island.
The new site would support year-round policing at the redeveloped Ontario Place site and provide highway patrol operations once the Gardiner and DVP are uploaded to the province and redesignated as King’s Highways. The move is part of Ontario’s “New Deal for Toronto,” under which the province is assuming ownership and maintenance of the two major expressways.
A new administrative and maintenance building is included in the RFP.
A Stage Gate RFP is an expedited approach used to select a builder and includes two phases:
- A review of the qualifications of bidders typical in a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Only bidders who meet the pre-determined qualification criteria will proceed to the second phase.
- Shortlisted bidders with demonstrated ability and experience to complete the design and construction obligations will receive the bid documents and attend commercially confidential meetings prior to submitting technical and financial proposals.
Evaluations will be conducted through an open, fair and competitive procurement process, overseen by a fairness monitor. Interested companies must register with merx.com to download the RFP.
The proposed detachment would form part of a larger administration and maintenance complex replacing the existing Ontario Place administration building with space for specialized policing vehicles, operational units for highway enforcement, and new infrastructure such as a helicopter pad. The province is also proposing a marine unit and the first OPP Mounted Unit in Ontario, intended to support patrol and crowd management across the redeveloped waterfront site.
Ontario Place is expected to attract about six million visitors annually once redevelopment is complete.
Under the plan, the OPP would assume responsibility for traffic enforcement on the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway, consistent with other King’s Highways in Toronto. The Toronto Police Service would continue to handle all other non-traffic policing duties in the area.
“The OPP is proud to continue working alongside the Toronto Police Service,” said OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique. “A modern and purpose-built detachment will ensure the OPP are able to maintain the safety and security of the new Ontario Place and fulfil our traffic safety responsibilities related to the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway being designated as King’s Highways.”
The province has planning to upload of the Gardiner and DVP as part of its effort to maintain critical transportation corridors, arguing that provincial control will ensure the routes remain toll-free, in good repair, and capable of handling growing regional traffic demands. Officials say more than 140,000 drivers rely on the highways daily.
“Our government is making historic investments in highway infrastructure to fight gridlock and keep people and goods moving across Ontario,” said Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria. “By taking ownership of the Gardiner Expressway and DVP, we are keeping these highways toll-free for the long term and helping drivers get where they need to go safely and reliably.”
