The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) is proud to announce that the New Champlain Bridge Corridor Project has won the Gold Award in the Effective Procurement category of the 2015 National Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Public-Private Partnerships (P3s).
The New Champlain Bridge Corridor Project is one of the largest infrastructure projects in North America. Located in Montreal, Québec, the Champlain Bridge is one of the busiest crossings in Canada and a key component of the Continental gateway and trade corridor. The New Champlain Bridge Corridor Project will modernize the Champlain Bridge corridor and provide world-class infrastructure to Montrealers, including two new bridges with a lifespan of 125 years. The new bridge over the St. Lawrence River will replace and modernize the aging Champlain Bridge and will also provide a central corridor exclusively dedicated to public transit capable of accommodating buses or a light rail system. The project also includes a new Île-des-Sœurs bridge, reconstruction of Highway 15 on Île-des- Sœurs and reconstruction and widening of Highway 15 on the Island of Montréal.
"The New Champlain Bridge Corridor Project has set the gold standard for effective procurement with its procurement process conducted in record time for a capital structure of its size and complexity," said Mark Romoff, President and CEO of CCPPP. "The approach taken directly contributed to impressive cost savings of $1.747 billion for the government when compared to the traditional procurement method and will ensure this critical transportation artery will be available well ahead of initial expectations," added Mr. Romoff.
Signature on the Saint-Laurent Group (a consortium led by ACS Infrastructure Canada, Hochtief PPP Solutions and SNC-Lavalin) is the private partner of this important project. Construction on the new Champlain Bridge began this summer and it is targeted to be in service by 2018, with the remainder of the corridor completed by October 2019.
The award will be presented on November 2nd at The Council's annual conference. This event is internationally recognized as the premier forum on public-private partnerships, bringing together 1,200 senior government and business leaders from across Canada and around the world.
