Third quarter revenues reached a record $707 million, with increases reported in each of the four operating segments due primarily to the recent acquisitions of Lockerbie & Hole and South Rock, both in Alberta. Gross margin (representing revenues less direct costs and expenses) increased from $68.7 million (12.8% of revenues) in the third quarter of 2008 to $76.2 million (10.8% of revenues) in the third quarter of 2009. Join discussion...

Four high schools to be built across the province, including one in Calgary, will cost taxpayers $40 million less than expected, Alberta's education and infrastructure ministers said Wednesday. The combined price tag for the schools slated for northwest Calgary, Edmonton, Sherwood Park and Spruce Grove came in at $96.7 million. Join discussion...

The Alberta government’s unique approach to providing new schools has won the 2009 Bronze Innovative Management Award from the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC). Recognized for its bold and leading-edge initiative to building new schools in expanding communities during a time of high construction costs, the Alberta Schools Alternative Procurement (ASAP) and core schools project topped 88 other entrants for the prestigious national public service award.  Join discussion...

Three groups of companies have been asked by the Alberta government to submit proposals to build a bundle of elementary and middle schools in Edmonton and Calgary through a public-private partnership (P3). A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Alberta Schools Alternative Procurement phase two (ASAP II) P3 schools bundle was issued in May. Join discussion...

A broad-based group of Alberta construction experts has told the provincial government that the P3 model should be used on a limited basis to supplement the traditional procurement model. The Merit Contractors Association and the Alberta Construction Association produced a discussion paper examining the current policy and methods of delivering P3 projects in the province. Join discussion...

Three groups of companies have been asked by the Alberta government to submit proposals as to how they would build and maintain 10 new elementary and junior high schools. Provincial officials said Thursday that companies involved in the Alberta Public Private Learning Excellence (APPLE) Group, Build II Learn and Plenary Lend Lease (PLL) Education Alberta, have all been asked to come up with detailed proposals by March 2010 as to how they would pursue the projects and how much they would charge the province. Join discussion...

Construction could begin as early as this year on the southeast section of Calgary's ring road, with Prime Minister Stephen Harper announcing as much as $100 million for the project yesterday . Harper was joined by Premier Ed Stelmach in Calgary to announce the federal cash injection that will help build the road from 17 Ave. S.E. south to Hwy. 22X -- the future Stoney Tr. S.E. -- and then west along Hwy. 22X to the Macleod Tr. interchange. Join discussion...

The second major phase of school construction is underway in Alberta, but contrary to earlier plans, only some will be built as Public Private Partnerships. “Essentially the feedback we received from industry and the market was the two bundle approach would be more attractive to industry and would allow industry to secure financing more easily than 14 schools as a complete P3,” said Tim Chamberlin, communications officer with Alberta Education. Join discussion...

The Alberta government said Friday that it will pay for four new high schools in the traditional way, rather than leasing them back over several decades through a public-private partnership as originally proposed. Education Minister Dave Hancock said in a press release that the government had “refined” the model for a package of 14 new schools announced in January 2008 in response to “the economic climate.” Join discussion...

The Alberta schools project at least derived a measure of security from a tranche of long-term bank lending. All eyes are now on two projects that were caught in the crossfire when disaster struck in the last quarter of 2008: Ontario's Niagara Health System and British Columbia's Port Mann Highway. Join discussion...