Alberta announces $8.9M to keep Carillion Canada’s operations moving

March 22, 2018

By Government of Alberta

Alberta’s AB-40 S crossing the Athabasca River. Andrew Snook/Rock to Road

March 21, 2018 - After careful analysis, the province is making up to $8.9 million available to help Carillion Canada continue its highway maintenance operations in Alberta, pay its employees and keep doing business with suppliers. The company is responsible for roughly 43 per cent of the provincial highway network.

This means there will be no disruption in highway maintenance including plowing and sanding, and the Alberta highway network will continue to be kept up to high standards of safety and mobility.

“Keeping Alberta highways safe for travel year-round is our top priority. This funding ensures that snowplowing, sanding and other maintenance will continue on all of our highways. It also means Carillion’s employees and suppliers will continue to be paid,” said Brian Mason, Minister of Transportation.

Recently, Carillion Canada sought an order and stay of proceedings from the Ontario Superior Court under the Companies’ Creditor Arrangement Act following parent company Carillion PLC going into receivership. The support will help Carillion maintain its Alberta highway operations until April 30, 2018 and cover outstanding amounts owed to vendors which were incurred during the winter maintenance season.

Alberta’s highway network includes over 33,000 kilometres and maintenance is supplied through eight separate contracts. Carillion holds three of those eight contracts and is responsible for maintaining about 43 per cent of the highway network. The company also controls more than 300 snowplows, approximately half of the snowplows working on Alberta highways. The company employs about 300 workers during the winter and up to 500 during the summer months.