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Ruairi Spillane

Ruairi Spillane

Founder
Outpost Recruitment

Big spending on transportation infrastructure: that’s the key to Canada’s long-term economic growth. Within the government’s commitment to increased infrastructure spending are a range of construction projects in the transportation sector. While transportation infrastructure projects, including plenty of highway construction, have been on the docket for years as necessary to address aging infrastructure and population growth in urban areas across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated spending on transportation in the 2020s.

In this article, we take a comprehensive look at some of Canada’s biggest transportation infrastructure projects, with an emphasis on highway construction, categorized in terms of preconstruction or project delivery phase. Please note that we’ve excluded rail construction projects from this list, as we have published a separate guide exclusive to rail projects in Canada.

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Outpost Recruitment is a leading talent agency that works with both local and international players in the infrastructure sector. Our clients include general contractors, subcontractors and consulting firms (program management and engineering)

Outpost Recruitment specialize in the following areas:

  • Executive leadership
  • Operations
  • Project Management
  • Commercial Management
  • Design Management
  • Site Supervision

What are some current projects in the preconstruction/procurement stage in the transportation infrastructure sector in Canada?

Click any project title for more information.

What are some current projects in the construction stage in the transportation infrastructure sector in Canada?

Click any project title for more information.

Highway running through Salmon Arm, British Columbia A portion of the highway in Salmon Arm, BC, pictured here, will soon be upgraded to include four lanes. | Photo by the Government of British Columbia

Projects in Preconstruction / Procurement Stage

Fraser River Crossing (Replacement of George Massey Tunnel), Vancouver, BC — $4bn+

The initial 10-lane bridge project was cancelled after the procurement process had been completed in 2017. It will now move forward as a submerged tunnel pending environmental review.

Status: Award due in June 2024

Trans-Canada Highway Jumping Creek, Shuswap Region, BC — $250m

The Jumping Creek to MacDonald Snowshed Project consists of designing and constructing improvements to approximately 2.6 kilometres of the Trans-Canada Highway 1.

Status: Award expected in Q2 2024

Trans-Canada Highway 1 Bruhn Bridge, Shuswap Region, BC — $246m

The project involves significant enhancements over 2.5 kilometres of Highway 1. This includes replacing the aging R.W. Bruhn Bridge with a new four-lane structure and four-laning 1.9 kilometres of the highway.

Status: Award expected in Q2 2024

Highway 413, Toronto, ON — $4bn+

The six-lane, 52-kilometre highway would run from Halton to York Region, connecting highways 401, 407, and 410

Status: RFQ due in late 2024. Construction to start in 2025

QEW Garden City Skyway, Toronto, ON — $1bn+ DBF

The existing QEW Garden City Skyway is a 48-span, high-level bridge that is 2.2 km long, 28m wide and carries the QEW over the Welland Canal, connecting the City of St. Catharines and the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The Garden City Skyway Project includes construction of a new QEW Garden City Skyway twin bridge to the north and rehabilitation of the existing QEW Garden City Skyway.

Status: RFP issued in Mar 2024. Award by Q1 2025

Highway 7 Upgrades, Mission / Maple Ridge, BC — $106m

Final undivided two-lane section of Highway 7 to four lanes between Maple Ridge and Mission

Status: RFQ released in July 2022.

Bradford Bypass, ON — >$1bn

A proposed 16.2-kilometre controlled access freeway connecting Highway 400 and Highway 404 in the County of Simcoe and Regional Municipality of York.

Status: RFQ expected in July – Sept 2022.

Highway 1 Expansion: 216th St to 264th St, Langley (Greater Vancouver), BC — $400m

This project involves widening Highway 1 between 216th Street and 264th Street in Langley. Work involves widening a total of ten kilometres between 216th Street and 264th Street by adding a new high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane in each direction, reconfiguring the 232nd Street interchange, and adding a new underpass at Glover Road (BC Rail/Roberts Bank Connecting Rail Line) and the CP Rail crossing.

Status: RFQ issued in 2024

Highway 1 Expansion:  264th Street to Mt. Lehman Road, Langley / Abbotsford (Greater Vancouver), BC — $257m

Improving 13 kilometres of Highway 1 between the 264th Street interchange and Mt. Lehman Road in Abbotsford

Status: RFQ issued in 2024

Highway 1 Expansion: Fraser Valley interchange (Greater Vancouver), BC — $257m(Greater Vancouver), BC — $257m

Part of a $2.3bn program to imprpve Highway 1 this intersection will be the largest project and involve rebuilding of the 264 Street interchange in Abbotsford

Status: RFP issued in Q1 2024

Harris Road Underpass, Pitt Meadows (Greater Vancouver), BC — $80m

The project includes a new four-lane underpass beneath the rail crossing at Harris Road which will serve CP’s Vancouver Intermodal Facility.

Status: RFP issued Sept 2021.

Anthony Henday Drive South West Widening, Edmonton, AB — $100m

The project will widen the existing 18-kilometre southwest portion of Anthony Henday Drive from Whitemud Drive to 111th Street NW. The current roadway was designed for 40,000 vehicles per day and is used by 80,000 vehicles per day.

Status: RFQ due in 2021.

Highway 3 Twinning (Taber to Burdett), Southern Alberta — $153m

This project will twin Highway 3 from Taber to Burdett. Design on the project will begin in 2022 and construction will begin in 2023

Status: Award due in Q2 2023.

Highway 11 Twinning, Alberta — $120m

Highway 11 will be twinned from Sylvan Lake to Rocky Mountain House. The total distance of the new twinned highway will be 66 kilometers.

Status: RFQ due in 2021.

Highway 3, Ontario — <$200m DBF

Widening of Highway 3 from two to four lanes between Essex and Leamington.

Status: Preferred proponent annoucned in April 2023. Financial close by Q3 2023.

Highway 17, Ontario — <$500m DBF

The four-lane expansion of Highway 17 between Renfrew and Arnprior.

Status: RFQ due in 2021.

La Crete Bridge, AB — $200m

Proposed bridge in Northern Lights Country

Status: Pre-RFQ

Projects in Construction Phase

Construction on highway in Kicking Horse Canyon, British Columbia Construction is underway for major highway improvements in Kicking Horse Canyon, pictured here. | Photo by the Government of British Columbia

New Île d’Orléans Bridge, Quebec City — $2.4bn+

Improvement across 35kms of highway will include: Ivor Strong Bridge twinning, Anderson Road/Bow Bottom Trail Interchange: Three through-lanes in each direction Interchange reconfiguration, including new bridges and ramps, Twinning the bridge over Glenmore Trail Interchange, Reconfiguring the 17 Avenue SE and Memorial Drive Interchanges and eliminating weaving traffic, Widening between 17 Avenue SE and Airport Trail to four lanes in each direction.

Status: Awarded Apr 2024

Deerfoot Trail improvements, Calgary — $600m

The construction of a cable-stayed bridge approximately 2.1 km long, approximately 120 m west of the current bridge

Status: Awarded May 2023

Holdom Overpass, Burnaby (Greater Vancouver), BC — $145m

A new four-lane road overpass for Holdom Avenue over the railway through Central Burnaby.

Status: Project awarded in Q1 2023.

Nisutlin Bay Bridge Replacement, Yukon — $160m

The new Nisutlin Bay Bridge will be the largest capital project in Yukon history. It is an incredibly important crossing to the community and serves as a critical transportation link for the territory, the nation and the continent.

Status: Awarded May 2022. Completed by 2026

Kennedy Overpass, Pitt Meadows (Greater Vancouver), BC — $140m

The project includes a new two-lane overpass above the rail crossing at Kennedy Road which will serve CP’s Vancouver Intermodal Facility.

Status: Completion by Q2 2023

Portside / Blundell Road Improvements, Richmond (Greater Vancouver), BC — $100m

The project includes:

A new overpass on Portside Road at Blundell Road to cross over the CN rail line
Widening Blundell Road from two lanes to four lanes, between the No. 8 Road intersection and just west of York Road
A new bridge and extension of Portside Road over the No. 7 Road Canal

Status: Completion by 2025

Steveston Interchange, Richmond, BC — >$87m

Improvements will include a new Steveston interchange, additional bus-on-shoulder lanes, a new bus-only connection at Bridgeport Road and upgraded cycling infrastructure, all in advance of the George Massey Tunnel replacement.

Status: Completion in 2025.

Kicking Horse Canyon Highway, Golden, BC — $700m

The fourth phase of work on this project is 4.8 kilometres of highway in Golden, BC, and is expected to begin in Fall 2020.

Status: Completion by early 2024.

Pattullo Bridge, Vancouver, BC — DB — $1.4bn

The $1.4bn design-build lump sum contract specifies the delivery of a new four-lane suspension ~1.2km cable stay bridge crossing the Fraser River between New Westminster and Surrey.

Status: Project awarded in July 2020. New bridge to open in 2024, demolition of existing bridge due by 2026.

West Calgary Ring Road Project, Calgary, AB — DBFO — $1.42bn

The West Calgary Ring Road project will be completed in three parts — the north project (DB1), south project (DB2), and the West Bow River Bridge (WBRB):

  • North project — 3km of six- and eight-lane divided freeway between Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) and the Old Banff Coach Road. Reconstructing 5km of Highway 1, 18 bridges, two interchanges, one flyover – 1 Avenue SW.
  • South project — 5km of six- and eight-lane divided freeway between Old Banff Coach Road and Highway 8 including seven bridges and four interchanges.
  • Bow River Bridge twinning — Twinning the bridge over the Bow River on the northwest segment of the ring road. Widening about 2km of northwest Stoney Trail from Crowchild Trail to Scenic Areas Link.

Status: Completion date of 2024.

Highway 15 Twinning, Edmonton, AB — $200m

Plans call for the twinning of the Highway 15 bridge near Fort Saskatchewan, along with intersection improvements at Highway 37 and Highway 825. The project is projected to cost up to $200M.

Status: Construction commenced in Summer, 2019. Project will be completed by end of 2021.

Third Crossing, Kingston, ON — $180m

Construction of a new, two-lane signature bridge spanning 1.2km over the Cataraqui River

Status: Construction commenced in 2019. Project will be completed by end of 2022

QEW/Credit River Improvement, Greater Toronto Area, ON — DBF $200-500m

Construction of a new twin bridge north of the existing Credit River Bridge and rehabilitation of the existing Credit River Bridge.

Status: Project awarded in November, 2020. Construction is set to start in Q1 2021.

Gordie Howe International Bridge, Windsor, ON — $5.7bn DBOM

2.5-kilometre cable-stayed bridge with six lanes (three Canadian-bound and three U.S.-bound), and two approach bridges. The project also includes a 130-acre Canadian Port of Entry and a 148-acre U.S. Port of Entry.

Status: Completion in 2024.

Highway 401, Greater Toronto Area, ON — DBOF $640m

The Highway 401 Expansion encompasses approximately 18 km of reconstruction and widening in the western part of the Greater Toronto Area, from the Credit River in Mississauga to Regional Road 25 in Milton. It consists of two 10-lane segments, two 12-lane core collector systems, and median high-occupancy-vehicle lanes. The scope of work also includes bridge reconstruction and replacement, structural culvert replacements, drainage and utilities work, and ecological restoration.

Status: In progress. Completion date scheduled for late 2022.

Highway 427 Expansion , Greater Toronto Area, ON — $616m DBFM

This project encompasses a new 6.6-kilometer extension from Highway 7 to Major Mackenzie Drive. Also includes a 4-kilometer road widening from Finch Avenue to Highway 7.

Status: Due for completion by 2021.

Highway 104 Twinning, Nova Scotia — $718m P3

38-km length of highway that will include a two-lane twinned highway and 10 km of new four-lane twinned highway.

Status: Completion by 2023.

Tlicho All-Season Road, Northwest Territories — $411.8m P3

This three-year construction project will link Whati, traditionally a fly-in community on Lac La Martre, to nearby Highway 3, which loops around Great Slave Lake to the territory’s capital and largest city.

Status: Completion by 2021.

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Please get in touch at [email protected] if you notice any errors or omissions in this list of projects.

As both a short-term and long-term economic strategy, Canada is set to welcome many more transportation infrastructure projects in the months and years to come. Expertise in major transportation projects is in demand so get in touch with the Outpost Recruitment team to learn more about opportunities that suit your experience.

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