HDR’s Nico Malfara Promoted To Lead Transit Program in Canada

July 26, 2024

Nico Malfara

Nico Malfara, P.ENG., an experienced transit planning and project delivery professional, has been promoted to serve as leader of HDR's transit practice in Canada.

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Malfara will be responsible for leading the continued growth of HDR's established transportation consulting practice with transit clients across Canada. He will work with agencies to deliver on their most complex projects while also helping clients solve ongoing critical issues including funding, ridership, equity, safety and cost escalation.

"There is no shortage of investment in transit across Canada from all levels of government," Malfara said. "I'm looking forward to leveraging my experience planning and designing some of the largest and most complex transit projects in the country to improve the customer experience and deliver the best outcomes for our clients."

Malfara's leadership has been pivotal for advancing transit projects at various levels of project development. His more than 12 years of industry experience spans the full life cycle of public transit projects, including initial planning to preliminary design and environmental assessments. With expertise in various disciplines, he also provides advisory services to agencies seeking strategic insights for more effective program decisions.

"HDR has a well-respected and trusted reputation for delivering successful transportation infrastructure across Canada with our practice more than doubling in the past several years," said Tara Erwin, HDR's transportation manager in Canada. "I have no doubt Nico will provide the leadership to build upon that growth and provide exceptional service to the communities we serve."

"Nico has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by our clients," HDR Global Transit Director Matt Tucker said. "His experience collaborating with leaders of various transit agencies enables him to propose well-thought-out solutions to successfully deliver critical transit infrastructure."

Malfara specializes in rapid transit planning, including complex multidisciplinary projects such as the Ontario Line subway project in Toronto, the Hazel McCallion Light Rail Transit North Extension and the award-winning Lakeshore Connecting Communities Bus Rapid Transit project. Additional career highlights include leading planning for Exhibition Station on the Ontario Line and serving as project manager for TransLink's Burnaby Transit Centre Business Case in the Metro Vancouver area.