For immediate release
GATINEAU, Quebec, February 17, 2012 —Today, the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, announced the awarding of a $750,036 contract covering engineering services for the Chaudière Crossing project in the National Capital Region to the firm McCormick Rankin Corporation, of Ottawa.
“The Chaudière Crossing is an important component of the National Capital Region’s infrastructure as it provides a vital link between Ottawa and Gatineau,” said Minister Ambrose. “Our Government is committed to ensuring that public infrastructure remains safe and reliable.”
“This demonstrates our Government’s continued focus on economic growth and job creation. Investments in public infrastructure not only create and maintain jobs locally, but ensure that Canadians can count on safe and reliable infrastructure,” said the Honourable John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Ottawa West–Nepean.
The Chaudière Crossing carries approximately 28,000 vehicles per day. It was the first bridge to connect Ottawa and Gatineau over the Ottawa River and consists of eight separate structures, built at various times between 1827 and 1978. A variety of structures connect natural as well as man-made islands and causeways, linked together by a road.
This contract award follows the recent Government of Canada announcements of new investments of approximately $250 million, over the next five years, in Public Works and Government Services Canada’s (PWGSC) infrastructure projects across the country for a total of $320 million in funding for these assets, as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan. PWGSC is responsible for 20 engineering assets across the country, including the Chaudière Crossing, and is carrying out a five-year major capital work plan to ensure that they remain safe.
The contract was awarded under a standing offer for competitive structural engineering services. PWGSC will now solicit bids for the construction work, which is expected to begin in fall 2012 and be completed in fall 2013. As part of this plan, PWGSC is proceeding with the replacement of the deck, sidewalk and barriers, as well as seismic upgrades and a protective repainting of the existing structural steel elements.
For further information 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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Michelle Bakos
Office of the Honourable Rona Ambrose
819-997-5421
Media Relations
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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.
