Bob Mackin
A Spanish infrastructure company involved in a bitter lawsuit with Metro Vancouver over a North Vancouver sewage plant project has been shortlisted for a second contract on the $4 billion Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension.
Spain’s Acciona dominates B.C. megaprojects
The B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure announced March 27 that Acciona Infrastructure Canada Inc. is part of South Fraser Station partners with Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc., AECOM Canada Ltd., and Pomerleau B.C.
The B.C. government has invited the consortium to submit a request for proposals on the contract to build eight stations against SkyLink Stations Partners, a team involving Dragados Canada Inc., Ledcor Construction Investments Ltd., SYSTRA International Bridge Investments Ltd. and IBI Group Architects (Canada) Inc.
The winning bidder is expected to be announced early next year.
Acciona is also part of South Fraser Guideway Connectors, which is bidding to design, build and finance the elevated guideway, roadworks and utilities for the 16-kilometre SkyTrain extension from King George Station in Surrey to Langley City Centre.
Acciona’s partners in South Fraser Guideway Connectors are the same companies as the proposal for the stations project.
SkyLink is also the only other shortlisted bidder for the guideway.
The shortlist for a third contract, to design and instal tracks and electrical systems, is to be announced later this spring.
Metro Vancouver hired Acciona as the design/build/finance contractor for the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant in April 2017, a project expected to cost $525 million and be completed in late 2020. Two years ago, the cost had ballooned to $1.058 billion and completion delayed to 2024.
Metro Vancouver fired Acciona in late 2021, but Acciona sued a year ago for wrongful termination and unpaid costs. Metro Vancouver countersued last summer.
Acciona is a partner with Samsung in Peace River Hydro Partners, the $1.75 billion main civil works contract at the $16 billion Site C dam. The company is in the Fraser River Crossing Partners joint venture with Aecon for the new $1.4 billion Pattullo Bridge and is the partner of Italian tunnel specialist Ghella on the $2.38 billion Broadway Subway.
Acciona replaced corruption-plagued SNC-Lavalin as the major infrastructure contractor to the B.C. government. One of Acciona’s key consultants was Jim Burke, a former executive vice-president of SNC-Lavalin who died of cancer in 2020.
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