Skip to main content

Canada: National Bank and Axium refinance Sea-to-Sky Highway

National Bank Financial and Axium Infrastructure have refinanced the Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project in the Canadian province of British Columbia. A statement from Axium said that the US$427 million 25-year public-private-partnership had “strong investor support and an A2 rating from Moody’s”. The Sea-to-Sky Highway Investment Limited Partnership - Axium Infrastructure, Régime de Rentes du Mouvement Desjardins and Nova Scotia Pension Agency - is the consortium in charge of the concession. In
July 19, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
National Bank Financial and Axium Infrastructure have refinanced the Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

A statement from Axium said that the US$427 million 25-year public-private-partnership had “strong investor support and an A2 rating from Moody’s”.

The Sea-to-Sky Highway Investment Limited Partnership - Axium Infrastructure, Régime de Rentes du Mouvement Desjardins and Nova Scotia Pension Agency - is the consortium in charge of the concession.

In 2010 the Axium consortium acquired 100% of the original 25-year design-build-finance-operate concession contract of the project from the concession holders, 2378 Macquarie Essential Assets Partnership, MEAP). The province retains ownership of the highway.

The Sea-to-Sky Highway is part of Highway 99 from West Vancouver to Whistler, site of the Winter Olympic Games in February 2010. But it was in 2005 that the provincial ministry of transportation began road upgrades under the Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project.

Major improvements were completed in late 2009 that saw the road go from a winding two-lane mountain road to a smoother often four-lane highway. Work included upgrading 95km of the road, constructing 48 bridges and interchanges and more than 200 retaining walls.

Apart from Macquarie Group, which was the project manager, other original concession partners were Peter Kiewit Sons as design-builder, Hatch 2579 Mott MacDonald for engineering work and design, JJM Construction, ND Lea, McElhanney Engineering Services, Miller Paving and Capilano Highway Services. The concession holder invested around $400m in its contract to design, build, finance and operate a highway in its 25-year performance-based contract.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Deal struck for Poland's A2 highway
    February 27, 2012
    Work on two sections of Poland's A2 highway originally planned to be built by the Chinese COVEC will now be constructed by two consortia.
  • Germany builds its first major PPI autobahn project
    July 7, 2015
    Rebuilding of one of the oldest motorways in Germany is testing out the possibilities for public-private project road construction reports Adrian Greeman A freshly renovated section of the A8 Autobahn in southern Germany will be watched with some interest this summer as traffic begins driving along its rebuilt carriageway and additional third lanes. That is not because of any special road features, other than a distinctive reddish colour to its concrete surface, but because it is a first fullscale public
  • China looks to the future with major highway plans
    February 15, 2012
    China is still moving ahead with plans that will give it the world's biggest highway system. Patrick Smith reports. As China's economy grows even more, keeping the country on the move has become a priority for the government. While the country has made great strides over the past decade in improving its infrastructure, the number of vehicles has also increased rapidly, and in some instances restrictions have been placed on them.
  • Banks, builders and Colombian government discuss motorway funding plans
    January 22, 2014
    Banks, builders, pension funds and Colombian government officers are discussing plans to finance around 40 new road concessions worth a combined US$23.86 billion (COP 47 trillion). According to market reports, the winners of these concessions will cover around 25% of their final cost. These funds will be paid in the first two years of each project and the winning firms will look to recoup their investment through road tolls. Banks will cover 30% of the cost via 12-18 year loans. The national development ban