During the 2020 construction season, the Province of Alberta invested almost $1 billion in more than 150 projects. These projects will be built over the next few years and support more than 9,200 jobs.

“Alberta’s government spent almost $1 billion to build roads and bridges and supported over 9,200 jobs. I am grateful for the hard work of Alberta’s construction workers who spent long summer days on-site to make sure families and job creators have quality roads and bridges to get to work and school. Alberta’s government is relentlessly focused on job creation and 2020’s construction season reflects that focus,” said Ric McIver, Minister of Transportation.

Budget 2020 invested $5.7 billion over three years in the Provincial Construction Program for planning, design and construction of roads and bridges, Capital Maintenance and Renewal (CMR) funding for smaller construction and rehabilitation projects, water management and flood recovery projects, and capital grants.

Alberta’s Recovery Plan doubled CMR funding to expedite projects that address economic challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis. This will support 109 projects that will fix and improve Alberta’s highways.

“The ARHCA commends government for putting idle machinery and labour to work, protecting the public’s investment in roads and bridges. Due to the economic downturn, our industry has a lot of capacity, and the public is getting good value for much-needed repairs to infrastructure. More importantly, when you take into account the materials, supplies and services our crews use, like hotels and restaurants, these projects create thousands of indirect jobs and economic spinoff benefits to communities all across Alberta,” said Ron Glen, CEO, Alberta Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association.

Projects in the 2020 construction season included general maintenance activities, such as pothole repair, crack sealing, line painting, repaving, bridge rehabilitation, grading of gravel roads, and safety barrier installation. Examples include:

• Paving work on Highway 63 in the Fort McMurray region.
• Slide repairs, paving, bridge replacements, intersection and lighting work in the Peace River region.
• Highway twinning, traffic light instalments, roundabout construction and ongoing work on the southwest Anthony Henday expansion in the Edmonton region.