Nova Scotia
Halifax – The federal government has reached a tentative agreement with the province of Nova Scotia to move ahead with planned infrastructure upgrades. The construction of a new $94 million Highway 104 has been slated as a top priority. The 16-kilometer highway project between Addington Forks Road and Beech Hill Road will be constructed in phases, provided the plan meets federal eligibility and environmental assessment requirements. – Shannon Ernst

New Brunswick
Saint John – The Saint John Port Authority has issued a Request for Proposals for developers to develop a multi-use cruise facility at the Pugsley Terminal site. The new facility will incorporate port administration offices and leasing opportunities for related activities. Construction is expected to commence in late 2009. The construction cost is estimated at over $10 million. – Shannon Ernst

Québec
Montreal – A $1.3 billion megaproject is planned for the historic Griffintown neighbourhood located southwest of downtown Montreal. Quebec-based property company Devimco has said the 12-acre development will include a huge commercial space, more than 4000 dwelling units and a 2000-seat concert hall. The company has also said it plans to preserve and/or move a number of the site’s heritage buildings. – Lesya Lukasevych

Ontario
Ajax – Working drawings have begun for the Mountcliffe Development site at 1409 Salem Rd N in Ajax. Construction of the 77-unit project is expected to cost $13.3 million or more. The units will be divided into eight structures and range in size from 1400 to 2000 square feet per unit. HighCastle Homes and HighMark Homes have partnered as owners and builders for this project. Marketing efforts are expected to begin in January 2008 and construction will begin shortly thereafter. – Samantha Vartiamaki

Barrie – The former Molson Park in this central Ontario city is slated to become a commercial development called Park Place. The 200-acre property’s 20 buildings are expected to cost $135 million to construct. North American Acquisition Company’s development will include a 930,000-square-foot community centre and retail space; 400,000 square feet of commercial office space; 216,000 square feet of hotel space; and an industrial building, cinemas and restaurants. Petroff Partnership Architects are currently preparing working drawings. – Samantha Vartiamaki

Bolton – Penretail Management Ltd., project manager and owner’s representative, has yet to name a general contractor for a five-building retail development located at Healey Road and Regional Road 50 in Bolton, just east of Caledon. Designs for the one-storey, 100,000 square foot building have been completed, but site plan approvals are still needed. Construction is expected to cost approximately $15 million. Mechanical designs were completed by Ellard-Wilson Engineering Ltd. and Hammerschlag & Joffe Inc. did the electrical designs. Structural designs were provided by Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. and Pellow + Associates Architects completed the architectural designs. – Samantha Vartiamaki

Sault Ste. Marie – EPOH Inc. has begun preliminary designs for a new $10 million Algoma Health Unit building at Sault College. To be located at 443 Northern Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie, the building will include health care units and office space. EPOH Inc. expects to begin the working drawings for the project in mid-February 2008 and will complete the architectural, electrical and mechanical design work on the project. Stem Engineering Group Inc. will complete the structural design work. – Samantha Vartiamaki

Alberta
Lethbridge - Greengate Power Corporation has plans to develop the 300MW Blackspring Ridge Wind Project on over 30,000 acres of private land 30km north of the City of Lethbridge in southeastern Alberta. Initial microscale modeling indicates an excellent wind resource of approximately 8.0 m/s. AESO provided a preliminary interconnection assessment indicating that the proposed interconnection is technically feasible and that there is a likely available transmission capacity for the project. Environmental assessment and public consultation activities are underway. – Jenniffer Hall

Lacombe – Greengate Power Corporation is developing the 150MW Chigwell Wind Project on over 20,000 acres of private land located in central Alberta, five kilometres east of the town of Lacombe. Initial microscale modeling indicates a “very good” to “excellent” wind resource of approximately 7.5 m/s to 8.0 m/s. Preliminary Assessment Application for interconnection has been filed with the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO). Environmental assessment and public consultation activities are underway. The project cost is estimated at approximately $300 million. – Jenniffer Hall

Calgary – Dolemo Development Corporation is proposing to build The Edworthy Club, a $1-billion sporting and social club, a two-million-square-foot facility with 16 squash courts, two hockey rinks, an auditorium, a conference centre, a spa and wellness centre, a 400-unit condominium hotel and 130,000 square feet of workout space, including three gyms, a running track, tennis courts and five swimming pools. Other amenities will include six restaurants, retail outlets, an art gallery, music and computer training rooms, a car wash, nursery and an 11,000-square-foot indoor playground. Rezoning is being sought and the construction schedule has yet to be determined. – Jenniffer Hall

Trochu – Finavera Renewables of Vancouver has bought the former Three Hills Wind Power project from Penn West Energy trust and is now developing various phases of the $150 – 200-million dollar project under new names: Ghost Pine Phase One and Lone Pine Phase Two. The wind development will be constructed near Trochu, which is 120 km northeast of Calgary. The prime consulting engineer on the projects is GENIVAR Consulting Group Inc. of Vancouver. Each phase will include approximately 45 wind-driven turbines that will produce 75 megawatts of power annually. Phase One is anticipated to start construction in mid to late 2008. – Sam Van Aert

Grande Cache – Maxim Power Corporation is proposing to build a 500-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant at its existing HR Milner Generating Station site near Grande Cache, Alberta. The new plant is expected to produce 3.9 million MW of electricity per year. Necessary applications to Alberta Environment and the Alberta Utilities Commission are expected to be filed by September 2008. The project’s value is estimated at $1.4 billion. – Jenniffer Hall

British Columbia
Vancouver – The BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund committee is planning a one-of-a-kind burn research and housing facility for the corner of 23rd Avenue and Main Street in Vancouver. With housing for burn survivors and their families, a research facility for clinical trials in burn and wound healing, an interactive multimedia educational/resource component, and community lecture facilities, the $22-million dollar project will be the first such facility in North America. Bunting Coady Architects of Vancouver designed the 26,000 square foot, three storey building for a site provided by the City of Vancouver. Preliminary designs are underway. Construction is expected to begin by fall 2008. The target date for opening has been set to coincide with the British Columbia 2009 World Police and Fire Games in July 2009. – Sam Van Aert

Abbotsford – Keystone Architecture and Planning of Abbotsford is designing a new seven-storey, 109-unit congregate apartment for seniors. The project plan includes a main level with dining room, kitchen facilities, cafe/lounge area, and laundry facilities and 300 square metres of office space on the seventh floor. Owned by the Mennonite Benevolent Society of Abbotsford, the building is expected to cost about $10 to $13 million. The plan is currently in the design phase and working drawings will begin in January 2008. No construction schedule has been determined at this time. – Sam Van Aert

Vancouver – The Molson Canada brewery at 1550 Burrard Street in Kitsilano will spend $32 million in 2008 to expand its operations. Seven new fermentation tanks and a bottling production line will allow the company to increase production to 2.2 million hectolitres (664 million bottles) per year. The preliminary plans for the brewery are currently in the development approvals process with the City of Vancouver. The prime engineering firm on the project is Villholth Jensen & Associates Ltd. of North Vancouver. Construction is anticipated to start by summer 2008. – Sam Van Aert

Surrey – A highly anticipated new regional RCMP E-Division Headquarters is planned for the city of Surrey. The building will be designed to accommodate over 1,800 provincial and federal RCMP employees in one facility. – Sam Van Aert

Langley – The Township of Langley is fast becoming a place for the construction of diverse housing types. Vancouver-based Century Group is proposing to construct Sunridge Place, a mixed-use residential complex containing 115 seniors apartments, 40 assisted-living units and 139 market condominiums. Some of the amenities include a library, a lounge and a fitness centre. The project is a joint design by Klause Budde Design Consultant and Jan Timmer Architecture. When completed, the project will cover approximately 200,000 square feet of space within four buildings. A general contractor has not been selected, but construction of phase one is scheduled to begin in summer 2008 and completion is set for 2011. The construction cost is estimated at $28 million. – John Gracey

Vancouver – The Wesbrook area of the University of British Columbia lands will soon be home to a $20-million,180-unit seniors apartment and condominium development called Tapestry at Wesbrook. Developed by Concert Properties and designed in joint venture by Nigel Baldwin Architects and Davidson Yuen Simpson Architects of Vancouver, the six-storey building will have 134 rental apartments and 46 condominium (market) units with related amenities. The project is currently in the design phase and no construction schedule has been determined at this time. – Sam Van Aert

Sparwood – The municipality of Sparwood is the latest town in British Columbia’s Kootenay region to join the resort destination category.  Whiskey Jack Management recently started construction on their resort golf course community. When complete, the community will contain the golf course and clubhouse, 450 chalet-style homes, 200 townhouse units, a resort hotel and a retail town centre. The master plan was complete by renowned resort architect Oberto Oberti Architecture, while the golf-course design was completed by Couples Bates Golf Design. A general contractor has not been determined for the residential component, but Blackpaw Construction is building the golf course. The golf course will be complete in 2009, but the entire build-out will not be complete until 2015. The total estimated construction cost is $100 million. – John Gracey

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