BC Government awards Pattullo Bridge replacement contract

The contract for the Pattullo Bridge replacement has been awarded, creating jobs and training opportunities for workers who will help build the toll-free crossing to better connect communities in the Lower Mainland.

Fraser Crossing Partners, a 50/50 joint venture between Aecon and Acciona, has been selected to build the new bridge that will replace the existing Pattullo Bridge. The contract value with Fraser Crossing Partners is $967.5 million. The total project budget of almost $1.4 billion remains the same to cover costs outside of the contract with Fraser Crossing Partners, including project management, financing, risk management, property acquisition and other project-related costs. 

The Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project is being delivered under the Province's Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), which prioritizes hiring local workers, including Indigenous peoples, women, people with disabilities and other under-represented groups who are qualified to do the work, in a safe, welcoming work environment. This project will help diversify and grow B.C.'s skilled workforce by providing opportunities for Red Seal apprentices to work on site and gain the experience they need to launch good careers in the trades.

"Women in the trades have been under-represented for decades, and so I am excited that Indigenous peoples, women and other equity-seeking groups will be seen as assets to this project," said Danielle Shaw, a recently journeyed welder from Ironworkers Local 97. "Priority apprentice hiring on a job like the Pattullo Bridge Replacement project ensures that under-represented groups have more access to these living-wage careers. I cannot wait to work on more diverse and inclusive projects like this."

The four-lane bridge will have wider lanes and better connections into Surrey and New Westminster, improving ease of travel on this corridor for locals and commercial vehicles. The design includes dedicated pedestrian and cyclist lanes, separated from traffic, that will improve safety for all road users and encourage active transportation options. The bridge will be built to allow for potential future expansion to six lanes. Construction will begin in the coming months. The new bridge is scheduled to open in fall 2023.