Wedoany.com Report-Nov. 24, British Columbia’s new Pattullo Bridge replacement project, valued at US$865 million, remains on schedule for completion by the end of 2025. The four-lane cable-stayed bridge, featuring a distinctive 168-metre central tower, will replace the 88-year-old crossing that has linked Surrey and New Westminster across the Fraser River since 1937.

Not long now: the Pattullo Bridge replacement should be open by the end of the year

The design-build-finance contract was awarded in 2020 to Fraser Crossing Partners, a joint venture of Aecon Group and Acciona Infrastructure Canada. Originally budgeted at US$743 million with a 2023 target, the project experienced approximately two years of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, supply-chain challenges, labour constraints, and related health measures. Following scope and schedule adjustments, the Transportation Investment Corporation confirms that the revised timeline and budget are being met.

All major structural elements are now in place, with final cable installation planned for autumn 2025. The new bridge will provide wider traffic lanes, physical separation for dedicated pedestrian and cyclist paths, a central median barrier, and future capacity for six vehicle lanes—significant safety and functionality improvements over the existing structure, which will be decommissioned once the replacement opens.

Separately, in Canada’s northern region, several large-scale infrastructure initiatives are advancing. Caroline Wawzonek, Finance Minister of the Northwest Territories, highlighted renewed momentum on critical connectivity projects.

The proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway is a planned 400-kilometre all-season road linking southern Canada to the Arctic Ocean coast, replacing the current seasonal ice-road network that operates only during limited winter periods. The project is estimated to require approximately US$2.5 billion in federal funding.

Another initiative, the Arctic Economic and Security Corridor, focuses on developing the mineral-rich Slave Geological Province through construction of supporting infrastructure, including an all-season road system, with federal investment needs exceeding US$1.41 billion.

Additionally, the Taltson Hydro Expansion project involves building 320 kilometres of transmission lines to integrate 11 northern communities and industrial operations into a unified electricity grid. This energy initiative carries an estimated cost of US$2.5 billion.

These northern developments aim to enhance year-round transportation access, support resource development, and improve energy reliability across remote regions, complementing major infrastructure upgrades underway elsewhere in Canada, such as the Pattullo Bridge replacement in British Columbia.