For immediate release
GATINEAU, Quebec, January 27, 2012 — Today, the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, along with John Baird, local member of Parliament for Ottawa West–Nepean, announced the award of a $1.8-million engineering design contract for the structural rehabilitation of the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge in the National Capital Region to the joint venture firm MMM Group Limited/CIMA+ SENC of Ottawa, Ontario.
This contract award follows the recent Government of Canada announcements of new investments of approximately $250 million, over the next five years, in PWGSC’s infrastructure projects across the country for a total of $320 million in funding for these assets, as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
“This Government’s priority is economic growth and the creation of jobs and these investments in infrastructure will accomplish this, while also ensuring that we continue to provide safe and reliable public infrastructure for all Canadians,” said Minister Ambrose.
“As a local member of Parliament, I am happy to see this contract awarded because it represents good news for residents of the National Capital Region who, on a daily basis, rely on this important infrastructure. It also further demonstrates to Canadians our Government’s commitment towards our economic recovery and job creation,” said MP Baird.
Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is responsible for 20 engineering assets across the country, including the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge, and is carrying out a five-year major capital work plan to ensure they remain safe. As part of this plan, PWGSC is proceeding with the seismic retrofit of the bridge and the rehabilitation of deteriorated components.
The contract was competitively awarded and will provide engineering design services as well as preparation of construction drawings and specifications for the structural rehabilitation of the bridge. The design work is expected to be completed in winter 2013.
PWGSC will then solicit bids for the construction work, which is expected to begin in summer 2013 and be completed in three years.
As the principal inter-provincial bridge linking the cities of Gatineau, Quebec and Ottawa, Ontario, the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge carries daily an average of 70,000 vehicles.
For further information on the on the recent announcement on public infrastructure investments, please see http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?mthd=tp&crtr.page=1&nid=651269&crtr.tp1D=1
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For more information, media may contact:
Michelle Bakos
Office of the Honourable Rona Ambrose
819-997-5421
Media Relations
Public Works and Government Services Canada
819-956-2315
PWGSC news releases are also available on our Internet site at http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/medias-media/index-eng.html.
