A Spanish company involved in a bitter lawsuit with Metro Vancouver over a delayed North Shore infrastructure project has been shortlisted for a second contract on the $4 billion Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension.
Acciona Infrastructure Canada Inc. is a partner in one of two pre-qualified that have been invited by the province to bid on a contract to build eight stations along the 16-kilometre SkyTrain extension from King George Station in Surrey to Langley City Centre.
The B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure announced Monday that Acciona is part of the South Fraser Station consortium, along with partners Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc., AECOM Canada Ltd. and Pomerleau B.C. The second group that has advanced to the request for proposals stage is SkyLink Stations Partners, a team that includes 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 SkyTrain extension project.
Acciona’s partners in South Fraser Guideway Connectors are the same companies that form the South Fraser Station consortium.
SkyLink is the only other shortlisted bidder for the guideway.
The shortlist for a third contract, to design and install tracks and electrical systems, is to be announced later this spring.
Metro Vancouver hired Acciona as the design, build and 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 was 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 also 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.
