City of Winnipeg Southwest Rapid Transitway (Stage 2) and Pembina Highway Underpass project reaches financial close

On June 21, 2016, the City of Winnipeg signed a project agreement with Plenary Roads Winnipeg Transitway LP to design, build, finance, (operate) and maintain the City of Winnipeg’s Southwest Rapid Transitway (Stage 2) and Pembina Highway Underpass project, with PCL Constructors Canada Inc. providing construction services.

The $467-million project is Winnipeg’s fourth public-private partnership project.

The Southwest Rapid Transitway (Stage 2) and Pembina Highway Underpass project comprise significant infrastructure components in the southwest quadrant of the city.

These components include the completion of Stage 2 of the Southwest Transitway, the addition of active transportation infrastructure, the renewal and expansion of the Pembina Underpass as well as connections to the University of Manitoba and Investors Group Field. Construction on the project is scheduled to conclude by late 2019.

The City of Winnipeg’s legal team was led in-house by Lisa Rowswell, Solicitor, City of Winnipeg Legal Services Department, and included Krista Boryskavich, Wolfgang Tiegs, Denise Pambrun, Samantha Murata and Angela Czarnecki.

The City was supported by Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP with a team that was composed of Judy Wilson, Marianne Smith, Jason MacIntyre, Theresa Chan, Alyssa Shivji, Lisha Li and Stephanie Console.

Wells Peever, QC, of Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLP acted as Manitoba counsel to provide an independent legal opinion on behalf of the City.

Plenary Roads Winnipeg Transitway LP was represented by Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP with a team that included Robert Bauer, Steve Martin, Will Buchner, Matthew Rosen and Alysha Virani, together with British Columbia and Alberta counsel, Gowling WLG, with a team that included Peter Fairey, Matt Mitchell, Frank Sur and Elizabeth Burton. Advice on matters related to the law of Manitoba was provided by Scott Ransom of Pitblado LLP.

PCL’s legal team was led by Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP. The RMRF team was composed of Donald Lucky and Mark Hildebrand.

Financing for the project was provided by way of a consortium of lenders represented by Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, with a team that included Brian Kelsall, Ella Plotkin, Marc Lefler, Sean Morley, Áine O’Connor and Jon Holmstrom (hedging).

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