$2.15B Champlain Bridge P3 deal signed

The P3 consortium, Signature on the Saint-Laurent Group (SSL), has finalized an agreement with the federal government to design, build, finance and maintain the New Champlain Bridge Corridor project. 

The SSL construction partners include SNC-Lavalin, Flatiron and Dragados Canada. Consortium equity providers include SNC-Lavalin Capital, ACS Infrastructure Canada and HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions North America. The project is designed by T.Y. Lin International, International Bridge Technologies, 

The construction portion of the project includes date-certain, fixed-priced contract of approximately $2.15 billion.  SSL will operate and maintain the bridge for the duration of the concession period until October 2049. The life expectancy of the bridge is 100 years.

The Government of Canada is building the Project to replace the existing Champlain Bridge. The existing structure is one of the busiest crossings in the country for about 40 to 60 million cars, trucks and buses a year, and is a critical passageway for the regional and Canadian economies. As well, over 11 million transit users travel across it annually. In terms of Canada-US trade, more than $20 billion in cross-border goods pass through this trade corridor each year.

The main feature of the new Champlain Bridge Corridor, one of North America’s largest infrastructure projects, is a new 3.4 kilometer bridge across the Saint-Lawrence River. The bridge runs from the Île-des-Sœurs to Brossard, downstream from the existing Champlain Bridge, built in the 1960s. The new bridge includes three corridors, with two three-lane corridors for vehicle traffic and a two-lane transit corridor with light rail transit capabilities for future use. The bridge also includes a multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists. There will also be a new smaller bridge for Île-des-Soeurs (Nun’s Island).

In addition, the federal portion of Autoroute 15 is to be reconstructed and widened. Autoroute 15 will also be reconstructed on the Île-des-Soeurs Bridge.

The project calls for the operation and maintenance of  the new Champlain Bridge Corridor and related tolling infrastructure as well as the federal section of the Bonaventure Expressway. The new bridge is expected to be completed by the end of 2018 with the balance of the Project scheduled for completion in 2019.

“We are honoured that the Government of Canada has entrusted us with this important project,” said Ian L. Edwards, Executive Vice-President, Infrastructure Sector, SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. “Cities around the world can be identified by their bridges, and we will proudly contribute our expertise to deliver a safe, reliable and sustainable bridge that will remain an iconic landmark for generations to come.”

“We are happy to play a key role in delivering this signature infrastructure PPP project that is at the heart of Montreal’s transportation network and vital to Canada andQuebec’s economic growth,” said Robert G. Card, President and Chief Executive Officer, SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. “This project is especially meaningful to SNC-Lavalin as we have roots in Montreal going back over 100 years.”

“Flatiron is proud to be part of the team building what is sure to become a signature project in the region,” said Javier Sevilla, chief operating officer of Flatiron.

Canam-Bridges, a division of Canam Group Inc., has previously signed a letter of commitment with SSL to supply and fabricate the steel superstructure for the new bridge.