Paving the way: 12 Roadbuilders who get Canadians moving

Canada’s roadbuilding and paving industry is dominated by contractors who have shaped the country’s transportation infrastructure for decades. These companies combine decades of experience with cutting-edge technology to deliver everything from small municipal road projects to multi-billion dollar highway systems. Here are the industry’s most significant players, each with their own unique history and specializations.

Dufferin Construction Company

Founded in 1912 by Italian immigrant James F. Franceschini, Dufferin Construction Company stands as Canada’s largest paving contractor and has built much of Ontario’s highway infrastructure over more than a century. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, the company has contributed to major projects including the construction of portions of the Alaska Highway in the 1940s, Highway 401, Highway 407 East, and numerous airport runways across Canada. As a business unit of St. Lawrence Cement Inc. (part of the Holcim Group), Dufferin claims it operates its own hot-mix asphalt plants and is recognized as both the largest paving and concrete contractor in Canada, with capabilities spanning from roadways and bridges to tunnels and marine construction.

The Miller Group (Colas Canada)

The Miller Group, now part of Colas Canada, traces its roots back to 1917 and has been a cornerstone of Canadian road construction for over a century. Headquartered in Markham, Ontario, with operations extending into New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Miller provides comprehensive transportation infrastructure services including paving, construction, maintenance, and materials supply through numerous subsidiary companies like Brennan Construction, Georgian Paving, and Miller Paving. The company has built hundreds of highways across Canada and recently secured major contracts including the western section of Ontario’s Bradford Bypass project. With expertise spanning from routine highway maintenance to complex public-private partnerships, Miller operates asphalt plants, aggregate quarries, and ready-mix concrete facilities while maintaining long-term highway maintenance contracts across multiple provinces.

Emil Anderson Construction

Emil Anderson Construction began in 1938 when founder Emil Anderson started a small highway construction company in Fort William, Ontario, before relocating to B.C. in 1942 to help build the Alaska Highway during World War II. Now based in Chilliwack and Kelowna, BC, the family-owned company has evolved into a multi-disciplinary contractor specializing in civil construction, road building, land development, and infrastructure maintenance across Western Canada. EAC has contributed to major BC highway projects including large portions of the Coquihalla Highway, the Hope-Princeton Highway rebuild, and the complex Kicking Horse Canyon phases.

Aecon Group Inc.

Aecon Group Inc., with roots dating back to 1877, has grown into one of Canada’s largest construction companies with extensive road and highway construction capabilities through its Infrastructure division. Based in Toronto with operations across Canada, Aecon has built iconic transportation projects including portions of Highway 401, the CN Tower’s supporting infrastructure, and major highway rehabilitation projects. The company combines traditional roadbuilding expertise with advanced technology, including precision paving systems for projects requiring exceptional smoothness standards, and has established permanent asphalt plants to support major projects like those near Calgary. Aecon’s transportation portfolio spans from municipal road construction to major multi-lane highway developments, supported by their integrated approach to project delivery and materials supply.

Kiewit Canada Group Inc.

Kiewit Canada began operations in 1941 and has since become one of the country’s most respected transportation contractors. The company has delivered some of Canada’s most complex infrastructure projects, including the massive $2.5 billion Port Mann/Highway 1 improvement project featuring the 10-lane cable-stayed Port Mann Bridge—one of the world’s widest bridges. Based with major operations across Canada, Kiewit specializes in large-scale highway construction, complex interchange projects, and design-build delivery methods, with recent projects including the $32.6 million Dewdney Bridge replacement and various highway reinstatement projects following natural disasters. The company’s expertise extends from simple rural highways to complex multi-level interchanges, with a strong focus on safety, innovation, and collaborative project delivery methods.

Ledcor Group of Companies

Founded in 1947 by William Lede, Ledcor has grown into one of North America’s most diversified construction companies with over 6,000 employees and extensive highway construction capabilities. Headquartered in Vancouver, Ledcor’s Infrastructure division has constructed and maintained thousands of kilometers of roadway since its founding, specializing in complex design-build projects across challenging terrains and weather conditions. The company maintains highway contracts covering thousands of kilometers in Alberta, B.C., and Ontario, while also delivering major new construction projects and bridge work. Ledcor has made significant investments in environmental sustainability, including state-of-the-art asphalt plants that exceed emission standards and eliminate water usage through innovative particle recycling technology.

Terus Construction (Colas Western Canada Inc.)

Terus Construction operates as an integrated group of road construction and materials companies throughout British Columbia and the Yukon Territory, with a network of 29 decentralized operating companies and approximately 580 employees completing over 1,000 projects annually. The company specializes in road paving and construction projects ranging from major highway work to remote community infrastructure, supported by 17 concrete plants, 59 gravel pits and quarries, and comprehensive aggregate production capabilities. Recent major projects include the $7 million Highway 22 resurfacing project through Trail and Castlegar, complex night-shift paving through high-traffic urban cores, and specialized work in remote locations like the Masset Paving Program on Haida Gwaii. Terus offers innovative paving solutions including hot-mix and warm-mix asphalt, polymer-modified mixes, and full-depth reclamation services, while also providing ready-mix concrete and aggregates supply.

BA Blacktop (VINCI Construction Canada)

BA Blacktop, a subsidiary of VINCI Construction Canada, was founded in B.C. in 1956 and has evolved into a major general contractor and design-builder with over 300 personnel and 390 pieces of mobile equipment. Operating through BA Blacktop Ltd., BA Blacktop Infrastructure Inc., and Coquitlam Ridge Constructors Ltd., the company specializes in transportation infrastructure including major design-build projects like the Lickman Interchange and Highway 1 corridor improvements. The company recently secured a significant contract as part of a consortium to upgrade and widen a 4.5-kilometer section of Highway 1 in British Columbia, worth $94 million CAD, demonstrating their capability to handle large-scale highway modernization projects. BA Blacktop’s expertise spans from municipal road rehabilitation and paving services to complex multi-span bridge construction and innovative concrete structure solutions.

Mainroad Group

The Mainroad Group is an employee-owned company with over 30 years of experience, operating as a leader in highway maintenance and infrastructure services across B.C. and Alberta. The company manages extensive highway maintenance contracts covering thousands of kilometers of provincial highways, including major infrastructure like the Port Mann Bridge, Alex Fraser Bridge, and George Massey Tunnel through various regional subsidiaries. Mainroad provides comprehensive services from routine maintenance and snow removal to major construction projects, bridge rehabilitation, and traffic management services. With headquarters and operations centers strategically located across Western Canada, the company combines traditional maintenance expertise with construction capabilities, handling everything from ACROW bridge installations to specialized highway construction projects.

N.P.A. (Colas Western Canada Inc.)

N.P.A., a division of Colas Western Canada Inc., stands as one of Western Canada’s largest paving contractors, providing comprehensive road construction and materials services throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories from its Edmonton headquarters. The company offers an integrated suite of services including aggregate production and gravel sales, granular placement, asphalt paving, underground utilities, concrete and ready-mix supply, plus airport and highway construction through its group of operating companies including E-Construction, G&C Asphalt, NWT Construction, and Wapiti Gravel Suppliers.

Superior Asphalt Paving Ltd.

Superior Asphalt Paving Ltd. represents the success story of family-owned businesses in Canada’s paving industry, founded by Kuldeep Singh Lalli in 1975 starting with just one man in a pickup truck. Based in British Columbia, the company has expanded to become one of the largest paving companies in the province, with over 40 years of experience and more than 1 million miles paved. Superior specializes in residential, commercial, agricultural, and municipal paving projects, covering everything from farm roads and driveways to highways and parking lots throughout the Lower Mainland and beyond.

Volker Stevin Canada

Volker Stevin Canada specializes in civil construction and rehabilitation, highway maintenance, civil works, and bridge construction across Western Canada and the northwestern United States. The company has established productive partnerships with local and regional groups throughout Western Canada, serving municipalities requiring construction and civil works, companies needing infrastructure development, and major highway projects of all sizes. Known for exceptional employee retention in an industry with typically high turnover rates, Volker Stevin takes pride in having employees who have stayed with the company for many years, with some exceeding 50 years of service.