At Last, Autoroute 30, and it won’t only profit to trucking

I was quite joyful when I got the press release from the governments, because the federal is also involved in this project, which announces the selection of the partner chosen for the construction of this mystic road we are awaiting for the past 2 generations if not 3.

Here is how it translates, because most releases from the Quebec government is in French:
“The governments of Canada and Quebec are announcing the choice of Nouvelle Autoroute 30 S.E.N.C., to conclude the partnerships that will last 35 years for the conception, construction, financing, management, maintenance and rehabilitation of the prolongation of Autoroute 30.”

For your information, who is behind this company that is the private partner?

Acciona Concessions Canada Inc.
Iridium Concessions Canada Inc.
Acciona Infrastructures Canada Inc.
Dragados Canada Inc.
S.I.C.E.
Arup Canada Inc.
Construction DJL Inc.
Verreault Inc.

However, don’t be fooled by the names. Here are the real names.

Acciona Concessions S.L. a division of Acciona S.A. from Spain
Iridium Concesiones de Infraestructuras S.A. also from Spain
Acciona Infrastructures S.L. is another division of the first company
Dragados is a branch of Grupo ACS from Spain
S.I.C.E. is headquartered in Madrid
Arup is based in London UK
Construction DJL Inc. is from Boucherville PQ
Verreault Inc just got bought by Dessau also in Québec.

The top four companies are the ones that are going to manage, and finance the project. Arup is a specialist of electronic tolling, systems similar to the ETR407 and requires no manual tolls. The last two, from Quebec, are specialised in engineering and construction.

Who will get the bigger part of the financial pie?

I am not totally opposed to projects with private public partnership for a new infrastructure, even if we have been waiting for that roadway over 30 years now. Either the road passes on the north way along route 132 or in the middle of corn fields, what bothers me is that no company based in North America was chosen. Don’t we have any companies that can finance and manage such a project here, this side of the pond?

Was the proposal made by SNC-Lavalin not interesting enough for our governments?

We are on the edge of a meltdown of our economy and our government’s gives away to overseas interests contracts that the greater financial fallbacks are going to line pocket of strangers.

To take words of a former Prime Minister of Quebec, Master of our destiny (Maître chez nous), well I am not that sure of it.