Big spending on transportation infrastructure: that’s the key to Canada’s economic recovery from COVID-19. 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, were on the docket even before COVID-19, necessary to address aging infrastructure and population growth in urban areas across the country, the pandemic has accelerated the spending on transportation.
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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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
QEW Garden City Skyway, Toronto, ON — $500m+ 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: Currently in RFQ. RFP due in Q2 2023.
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.
Trans-Canada Highway 1 Ford Road to Tappen Valley Road (4-laning), Shuswap, BC — $243m
Work on the approximately 4.3-kilometre section of highway will include expanding the two-lane highway to four lanes, replacing the aging Tappen overhead and constructing frontage roads.
Status: RFQ expected in early 2022.
Trans-Canada Highway 1 into Salmon Arm (4-laning), Salmon Arm, BC — $184.7m
This project is an upgrading of the highway to a modern, 100 km/h, four-lane standard, which will allow traffic to move more safely and efficiently. Two separate contracts have been awarded:
1. Salmon Arm West — 1st Ave. SW to 10th Ave. SW
This portion of the Highway 1 Kamloops to Alberta program involves widening a 2.2-km section of highway to four lanes from 1st Ave. SW to 10th Ave. SW in Salmon Arm.
2. Salmon Arm West — 10th Ave. SW to 10th St. SW
This portion of the Highway 1 Kamloops to Alberta program involves widening 1.0 kilometres of highway from two to four lanes between 10th Ave SW and 10th Street SW in Salmon Arm.
Status: Works due to start in Fall, 2020.
Highway 1 Expansion: 216th St to 264th St, Langley (Greater Vancouver), BC — $257m
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 due in early 2021. Highway construction is expected to start in 2021 and be completed by 2025.
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.
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: RFQ due in 2023.
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.
GTA West Highway (Highway 413), Greater Toronto Area, ON — $6bn
The GTA-West Highway would run from the Highway 401/Highway 407 interchange near Milton, to Highway 400 near Kleinburg. Status: This highway proposal, also known as Highway 413, was cancelled in 2018, but then resurrected by the current government. RFQ expected during 2021
La Crete Bridge, AB — $200m
Proposed bridge in Northern Lights Country Status: Pre-RFQ
Projects in Construction Phase
Construction is underway for major highway improvements in Kicking Horse Canyon, pictured here. | Photo by the Government of British Columbia
Deerfoot Trail improvements, Calgary — $600m
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 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.
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 2023, demolition of existing bridge due by 2025.
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.
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.
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.
If you’re interested in working on any of these projects, get in touch with us by creating your profile with Outpost Recruitment.
