The provincial government has selected the third and final major contractor to build the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension.
The consortium named Transit Integrators BC was announced as the successful proponent to design and build the tracks, electrical systems, and automated train control of the 16 km extension of the Expo Line between King George Station and Langley Centre.
Transit Integrators BC comprises three companies — AtkinsRéalis Major Project, AtkinsRéalis Canada, and Western Pacific Enterprises.
Until recently, AtkinsRéalis was previously known as SNC-Lavalin, which underwent a renaming and rebranding in September 2023. Montreal-based AtkinsRéalis has had a pivotal role in the region’s SkyTrain projects in the past, including the design and construction of the Millennium Line’s Evergreen Extension. But for the Canada Line, in addition to the design and construction work, AtkinsRéalis provided financing and is the operator of the region’s third SkyTrain line under contract through the early 2040s.
In 2019, amidst the fallout of a political interference and bribery scandal on the federal level, AtkinsRéalis withdrew its bids to the provincial government to design and build the Millennium Line’s Broadway extension and the new replacement Pattullo Bridge. At the time, this was part of the company’s pivot to scale back on its operations, and strategy to pull out of bids for fixed-price construction projects.
Surrey-based Western Pacific Enterprises also performed work for the region’s previous SkyTrain projects, including the original Expo Line, original Millennium Line, Canada Line, and the Evergreen extension.
Additional site preparation began earlier this year ahead of the start of major construction work later in 2024 for a scheduled completion and opening in late 2028.
SkyTrain Expo Line tracks near Gateway Station in Surrey. (TransLink)
The first two major contracts were announced earlier this year.
In March 2024, the provincial government announced the consortium named SkyLink Guideway Partners — made up of Dragados Canada, Ledcor Investments, Ledcor Mining, and SYSTRA International Bridge Technologies — to build the 16-km-long elevated guideway along Fraser Highway.
Then, in April 2024, it was announced that South Fraser Station Partners — composed of Aecon Constructors, Acciona Infrastructure Canada, Pomerleau BC, and AECOM Canada — had been selected for the contract to build the eight new additional stations, bus exchanges, and other associated station infrastructure. Acciona is the contractor for some of BC’s largest infrastructure projects currently under construction, including the Broadway extension, the new replacement Pattullo Bridge, and the Site C hydroelectric dam. Francl Architecture and Perkins&Will will again reprise their roles as the architectural design firms for the region’s newest SkyTrain stations, collaboratively working with AECOM’s architectural design division.
At the outset of the bidding processes, it was previously estimated that the three separate major contracts would have a combined contract value of nearly $2.3 billion: $1.1 billion for the elevated guideway, $475 million for the eight new stations, and $700 million for the track work. The entire Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension project carries a cost of $4 billion, which includes non-contractor costs such as land and property acquisitions, geotechnical testing, and pre-design and planning work.
The provincial government’s separate announcement of the selected contractors marks the start of the final contract negotiations with each of the three consortiums.
Moving away from the previous procurement practice of selecting one team to be responsible for all aspects of design and construction for a SkyTrain extension, the provincial government divided the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain project into three smaller contracts. The rationale was to potentially generate more competitive prices and encourage smaller local companies to bid for some of the work.
Construction on the Millennium Line Broadway extension to Arbutus is expected to reach completion and open in 2026. Tunnel boring for the Broadway extension reached full completion last week, when the second boring machine made its final breakthrough at Arbutus Station.
By 2028, the entire SkyTrain network will be over 100 km long, combined, thanks to the Millennium Line and Expo Line extensions.