Colas subsidiary wins $554M Bradford Bypass contract

Key Takeaways:

• The Government of Ontario has awarded a $554 million construction contract to Colas subsidiary The Miller Group to build the 6.5-kilometre western section of the Bradford Bypass.
• The newly designated Highway 425 will connect Highways 400 and 404 using a CMGC delivery model to cut regional commuter travel times by up to 35 minutes.
• Major construction will begin immediately on interchanges and bridges near Highway 400, with the entire project scheduled to reach completion by 2030.

The Whole Story:

The Government of Ontario has awarded a major construction contract to Colas, through its local subsidiary The Miller Group, to deliver the western segment of the Bradford Bypass. Valued at approximately $554 million, the contract marks the beginning of major construction on the long-planned freeway, which has officially been designated as Highway 425. Work on the western section is slated to begin almost immediately, with full project completion anticipated by 2030.

The overarching Bradford Bypass project consists of a 16.3-kilometre, four-lane controlled-access highway designed to link Highway 400 in Simcoe County directly to Highway 404 in York Region. The contract awarded to The Miller Group focuses specifically on a 6.5-kilometre western stretch extending from Highway 400 to Yonge Street. This portion of the build involves constructing a new freeway-to-freeway interchange at Highway 400, adding regional interchanges at Sideroad 10 and County Road 4, and replacing the existing bridge at Line 9. Early utility and tree clearing operations have already concluded along the alignment, and crews have constructed a temporary detour at Sideroad 10 to facilitate the upcoming structural work.

Ontario is delivering the western segment utilizing a Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC) procurement model. Under this framework, The Miller Group and its Brennan Construction division have been integrated into the process from the early design stages alongside the Ontario Ministry of Transportation to optimize the project’s technical, operational, and budgetary blueprints. The bypass is projected to significantly alleviate gridlock on local east-west roads, shaving up to 35 minutes off commuter travel times on select regional routes. Economically, the infrastructure investment is estimated to support roughly 2,200 jobs annually during construction and generate up to $286 million for the Ontario economy.

“This is a structuring project for the group, in a region where we have been established for over 100 years,” said Pierre Vanstoflegatte, CEO of Colas Group. “It builds on the strong experience of our local teams and represents one of the largest contracts awarded in Ontario, strengthening Colas, through The Miller Group, as a leader in the sector.” François Vachon, President of Colas Canada, added that the close collaboration between the contractor, provincial regulators, and design teams built the trust necessary to secure the full build contract.