The global construction industry’s revenue is forecast to double in the upcoming decade. In 2020, the industry earned a whopping $6.4 trillion, a figure expected to reach $14.4 trillion in 2030.
Canada’s construction companies are an important contributor to the world’s construction market. Some of the biggest construction companies in Canada include PCL Construction, EllisDon Corporation, Aecon Group Incorporated, and Graham Construction.
All these companies generate billions in revenue every year. Their top projects often contribute the most to their earnings. Let’s take a look at some of these projects.
Top Projects By Canada’s Construction Companies
The top projects by Canada’s best construction giants aren’t limited to skyscraping malls and public properties but also airports, the famous CN Tower, the Canadian Senate, and more. Let’s dive right in.
University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Completed in 2016, the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences is a project by PCL Construction. The educational facility includes a blend of wet research labs, office spaces, classrooms, dry research labs, a vivarium, event spaces, simulation labs, and a cadaver anatomy lab.
PCL, recently named one of the Fortune top 100 companies to work for, is eyeing the healthcare market, with this university just one of the many to-come such projects in its portfolio.
The Art Gallery of Ontario
EllisDon made major upgrades to the Art Gallery of Ontario in 2008 with a budget of $135 million. The upgrades include a 20% increase in building size coupled with 190,000 square feet of renovation and 97,000 square feet of new building.
The company added a new wood facade spanning 600 feet with a 70 feet height from street level. Moreover, the gallery space was increased to 123,500 square feet, a 40% addition in space.
EllisDon also added new public space areas, such as a bookshop, a cafe, and a two-level book and gift shop. The company undoubtedly deserves all the applause and credit for the upgrades, not only because of how well they fit Frank Ghehry’s vision but also for completing the project a month before time and within budget.
Vancouver Convention Centre
Completed in 2009, the Vancouver Convention Centre is a project by PCL Construction. The building was originally made for the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
It has one of the largest living roofs in the world at 6 acres, with 400,000 types of grasses and plants providing a habitat for 120,000 European honeybees.
PCL Construction uses 3D modeling and other complex technologies since 40% of the construction had to be done in the Burrard Inlet over water. The company reconstructed some parts of the shoreline to accommodate marine life.
An interesting fact about this convention center is that its Exhibition Hall measures 240,000 square feet. That’s about 5 football fields!
Avenir Center
The City of Moncton contracted Bird Construction Incorporated to design and build the Moncton Downtown Centre. With a project value of $95,000,000, the construction had a duration of 28 months.
The project included the construction of 10,000 seats, an outdoor skating rink, an outdoor plaza, private boxes, and a club lounge. Avenir Center will help downtown develop in Moncton, catalyzing the occurrence and interest in public workshops, events, and activities.
Highway 407 Express Toll Route
Aecon Group Incorporated is esteemed with the construction of the first electronic toll highway in the world. The $1 billion project was one of the reasons Aecon Group became what it is today.
Since the project’s completion, Aecon has remained the preferred contractor for the ongoing expansion and development of the Highway 407 Express Toll Route. The project also won the company several awards, including the Transportation Project of the Year (North America).
Initially, the project involved constructing a 69 km concrete highway with 20 interchanges, 125 bridges, 13 creek/river crossings, 15 grade separations, and 8 railway crossings. Aecon also delivered other features such as illumination, highway signage, electronic toll systems, and high-mast highway lighting.
Quito International Airport
The Quito International Airport, the winner of multiple awards, is another jewel in Aecon’s crown. With a budget of $414 million, the airport includes a 409,028 ft² passenger terminal building, a 4,100 km runway, a cargo hangar, a control tower, and multiple aviation facilities.
Aecon’s work also included creating an integrated communications network containing control centers, access control, and CCTV surveillance. The project started in 2006, and the airport started operations on February 20th, 2013.
Videotron Centre
With over 60 years of industry experience and 200 active projects across Canada, Pomerleau is one of the top construction companies in the country. Of its many projects, the 65,037 meters square Videotron Centre is undeniably one of the most impressive.
The multi-purpose arena located in Quebec City was the company’s first BIM (Building Information Modelling) technology-based project. Interestingly, the company won the Canada BIM Council’s BIM Excellence Award in 2015.
The Videotron Centre seats 21,000 people and serves dual purposes; an NHL-standard hockey rink and a world-class concert hall. It has 81 loges, a lobby, multiple parking lots, locker rooms, player rooms, corporate lounges, restaurants, and a press gallery.
Saputo Stadium
The Saputo Stadium is the home stadium for Impact, the team representing Montreal in the United Soccer League first division. But the team required an expansion in the stadium to prepare for Major League Soccer. That’s where Broccolini stepped in for modification and expansion.
The company increased the existing seating capacity of 13,000 spectators to 20,000. Broccolini also included a partial roof over some grandstands and added new corporate boxes.
Although the project had a tight timeline of one year and required the stadium to be in a usable condition during the construction period, the company managed to finish the job on schedule.
North Metro Rail Line
The North Metro Rail Line in Denver, USA, was completed in January 2020 after a 61-month construction period with a budget of $978.7 million.
Graham Construction, the company behind this successful project, designed and constructed a 19.3 km rail line from Denver Union Station to 124th Avenue Station. The project involved adding 12 at-grade crossings, six new stations, and 10 structures.
One of these 10 structures is the North Metro Skyway, the longest bridge in Colorado.
Conclusion
These projects are a testament to the expertise and skill of the Canadian construction industry, which has expanded its reach into South America and the USA. With the adoption of BIM and other modern technologies, the industry will prosper even more, resulting in even better and grander projects.
