Key Takeaways:
- Bird Construction is acquiring Fraser River Pile & Dredge (FRPD) for $82.3 million, a move expected to close in late 2025 pending regulatory approval.
- FRPD brings over a century of expertise in marine construction, dredging, land foundations and environmental remediation, strengthening Bird’s infrastructure portfolio and expanding its self-perform capabilities.
- The deal is expected to boost Bird’s adjusted earnings per share by about 7%, with further growth potential from cross-selling opportunities and operational synergies.
The Whole Story:
Bird Construction Inc. has struck a deal to acquire Fraser River Pile & Dredge (FRPD), Canada’s largest marine infrastructure, land foundation and dredging company, in a transaction valued at $82.3 million.
The acquisition, announced Wednesday, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, pending regulatory approval under the Competition Act and other customary conditions.
Headquartered in New Westminster, B.C., FRPD was founded in 1911 and employs more than 300 people. The company is the leading provider of marine construction and dredging services in Canada and is also active in land foundation work and marine environmental remediation. Its operations are divided into two business lines: construction and dredging.
The construction division is primarily marine-focused but has also expanded into land foundations, supported by specialized equipment and skilled personnel. The dredging division, meanwhile, maintains shipping routes in the lower Fraser River for the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and has carried out complex dredging projects in the North.
Bird said the purchase will strengthen its infrastructure portfolio by adding national marine construction and land foundation expertise, while also enhancing profit margins through more specialized, self-performed work. On a pro forma basis, FRPD is expected to generate about $160 million in revenue and $20 million in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA).
“This acquisition is expected to be a catalyst for future growth,” Bird president and CEO Teri McKibbon said in a statement. “FRPD’s expertise complements Bird’s ability to deliver complex projects across industrial, infrastructure and building sectors.”
FRPD president and CEO Sarah Clark said joining Bird marks “a pivotal part” of the company’s 115-year history. “We look forward to leveraging our combined strengths to create additional opportunities across our client bases,” she said.
Bird plans to finance the deal with a new term debt facility. The company also amended its syndicated credit facility, extending its maturity to 2028 and replacing existing term loans with a $215.6-million loan that will help cover the acquisition and other debt repayments.
Bird said the transaction is expected to boost adjusted earnings per share by about seven per cent on a full-year basis compared with 2025 consensus estimates, with potential for further growth through cross-selling opportunities and operational synergies.
The move follows another major acquisition from mid-2024. Bird Construction completed its acquisition of Jacob Bros Construction for approximately $135 million. The deal—consisting of roughly $97.2 million in cash, $38.1 million in equity (via 1.49 million common shares), and the assumption of equipment debt—was finalised on August 1, 2024. Bird’s purchase of the Surrey, B.C.–based civil infrastructure specialist, with over 350 employees, immediately enhanced its scale and diversification in Western Canada’s high-demand infrastructure market.
Key Takeaways:
- Fermeuse Energy Ltd. plans to build a $12–15 billion LNG liquefaction hub at the Fermeuse Marine Base, aiming to export gas from Newfoundland’s Jeanne d’Arc Basin to Europe.
- The project is expected to create thousands of construction jobs and more than 500 permanent positions, with strong support from the Town of Fermeuse.
- The development aligns with provincial and federal goals of using natural gas as a transition fuel and could position Newfoundland and Labrador as a major global LNG supplier.
The Whole Story:
Fermeuse Energy Ltd. has unveiled plans for a massive liquefied natural gas hub on Newfoundland’s east coast, a project the company says could turn the province into a major exporter of LNG to Europe.
The $12-billion to $15-billion development would see the Fermeuse Marine Base converted into a liquefaction hub to process offshore gas from the Jeanne d’Arc Basin. The company estimates the basin holds 9.7 trillion cubic feet of associated gas — more than three times the initial reserves found off Nova Scotia’s Sable Island.
Fermeuse Energy says the project will use advanced LNG technology and take advantage of the marine base’s nearly one kilometre of quayside, heavy-lift capacity and ice-free harbour. The company expects the hub to generate thousands of construction jobs and more than 500 permanent positions.
“This transformative project harnesses Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore gas reserves to create a sustainable energy future,” Fermeuse Energy CEO Swapan Kataria said in a statement Tuesday. “We’re not only building on local expertise to create jobs and economic resilience, but also contributing to Canada’s role in the global energy landscape.”
The Town of Fermeuse has endorsed the plan, with Mayor Jerome Kenny calling it “a tremendous opportunity for economic development” that would bring long-term stability to residents.
The project, which the company promoted ahead of the Gastech 2025 energy conference in Milan, is expected to deliver provincial royalties and align with both provincial and federal government goals of using natural gas as a transition fuel.
Fermeuse Energy is a Newfoundland and Labrador-based firm focused on energy infrastructure and offshore resource development. The company’s partner, Crown LNG Holdings Ltd., specializes in liquefaction and regasification terminals for harsh environments.
Key Takeaways:
- Quebec has officially scrapped the $7-billion Northvolt battery plant after the company failed to deliver a viable plan, leaving the province unable to recoup its $270-million equity stake following Northvolt’s bankruptcy in Sweden.
- Of the $510 million in taxpayer support, Quebec expects to recover only the $240-million loan, while Hydro-Québec will reallocate 352 megawatts of reserved power once earmarked for the plant.
- The failure underscores wider setbacks in Canada’s EV push, with multiple stalled or delayed projects raising questions about the long-term payoff of more than $50 billion in federal and provincial subsidies.
The Whole Story:
Quebec has pulled the plug on the Northvolt battery plant, ending a high-profile but troubled project once billed as a cornerstone of the province’s green industrial strategy.
Economy Minister Christine Fréchette announced Tuesday the government will no longer invest in Northvolt Batteries North America, saying the company failed to present a plan that met Quebec’s interests.
“This venture proved unsuccessful, and we are obviously disappointed,” Fréchette said in a statement, adding the province will seek to recover as much of its investment as possible.
The decision marks the collapse of Northvolt’s $7-billion plan to build a plant in Saint-Basile-le-Grand and McMasterville, south of Montreal. Quebec had backed the project with $510 million in public money, including a $240-million guaranteed loan and a $270-million investment in the Swedish parent company.
Fréchette said the $270 million is lost following Northvolt’s bankruptcy filing in Sweden earlier this year, but the government expects to recover the loan. Hydro-Québec had also set aside 352 megawatts of power for the facility, which will now be reallocated.
The plant was touted as a pillar of Premier François Legault’s “battery sector” strategy, intended to attract research, mining and manufacturing linked to electric vehicle production. Fréchette said other projects remain on track.
Opposition parties blasted the government, accusing the Coalition Avenir Québec of mismanagement. Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez called the project “a failure on the planning level and on the execution level.” Québec solidaire’s Ruba Ghazal said Quebecers may never see their money again, while Parti Québécois MNA Pascal Paradis called it “hundreds of millions of dollars … wasted by the CAQ government.”
Canada’s overall EV push has hit major roadblocks, with Honda shelving a $15-billion Ontario battery complex, BASF and Northvolt stalling projects in Québec, GM pausing BrightDrop van output in Ingersoll, and Ford delaying Oakville EV launches. Weakened demand, U.S. tariffs, and ballooning costs have raised doubts about whether Ottawa’s $50-billion bet on foreign-owned battery plants will pay off.
Key Takeaways:
- PCL Construction, working with Syntax Systems, migrated and unified 26 separate ERP systems into a single cloud-based platform on Microsoft Azure — one of the largest projects of its kind in North America.
- The new system integrates more than 370 financial entities and supports global payroll, finance, asset management, project execution and supply chain management, improving reporting accuracy, reducing duplication, and lowering IT risk.
- By moving decades of infrastructure to the cloud, PCL has built a scalable, secure foundation to streamline operations, enhance governance and support future digital initiatives across its $8-billion annual business.
The Whole Story:
PCL Construction has completed a multi-year digital transformation that overhauled its global payroll and operations systems, consolidating decades of fragmented infrastructure into a single cloud environment.
The Edmonton-based builder partnered with Syntax Systems to migrate and unify 26 separate enterprise resource planning (ERP) instances into one system hosted on Microsoft Azure. The project, billed as one of the largest ERP consolidations in North America, was finalized last month.
PCL chief information officer Mark Bryant said the work fundamentally changes how the 119-year-old company operates.
“Through close collaboration with Syntax, we’ve moved decades of fragmented infrastructure to the cloud,” Bryant said. “This not only streamlines how we operate but equips us with the agility and insights to support our long-term strategy.”
For decades, PCL’s operations grew across multiple regions and business units, each maintaining its own ERP system on legacy IBM AS/400 infrastructure. The decentralized setup made reporting difficult, limited scalability and introduced operational risks.
To address this, Syntax and PCL devised a phased roadmap. Early stages involved migrating the ERP environments to the Syntax Enterprise Cloud. The final consolidation on Microsoft Azure now supports core functions including finance, payroll, asset management, project execution and supply chain management.
“Consolidating our ERP environment on Azure marks a pivotal shift in how PCL operates financially across its global footprint,” said Glen Anderson, PCL’s vice-president of finance and commercial risk. “We’ve significantly improved reporting accuracy, eliminated duplication, and reduced risk — while building a flexible platform to scale with our business.”
Syntax CEO Christian Primeau said the transformation demonstrates how large, asset-intensive enterprises can simplify operations. “Together, we’ve delivered a customer-centric ERP model for enterprises looking to scale without complexity,” he said.
According to the companies, the project has integrated more than 370 financial entities into a single platform, migrated and validated two years of financial and payroll history, and streamlined workflows using Microsoft’s Power Platform to reduce errors and speed execution. Hosting on Azure also provides high availability, scalability and enterprise-grade security.
PCL, one of North America’s largest general contractors, completes more than $8 billion US in work annually. Company officials say the new platform will strengthen governance, improve data accuracy and reduce IT overhead, while better preparing the firm for future digital initiatives.
PCL leaders are scheduled to present details of the transformation at the JD Edwards INFOCUS 2025 conference in Denver this September.
Key Takeaways:
- Alberta will introduce a 2% levy on hardware for data centres of 75 MW or more starting Dec. 31, 2026, offset against corporate income taxes once facilities are profitable.
- The province is considering payment-in-lieu-of-tax and deferral programs to provide cost stability during construction and early operation.
- The measure is part of Alberta’s strategy to attract AI infrastructure investment, emphasizing cooling efficiencies, low-cost electricity, and a competitive tax system.
The Whole Story:
Alberta will introduce a 2% levy on computer hardware for large-scale data centres beginning Dec. 31, 2026, a move the province says will ensure the industry contributes fairly while maintaining its competitiveness.
The levy will apply to grid-connected facilities with power capacities of at least 75 megawatts. The province said the measure was developed following a six-week consultation with industry stakeholders.
To avoid additional costs once data centres become profitable, the levy will be fully offset against provincial corporate income taxes.
“Alberta’s government has a duty to ensure Albertans receive a fair deal from data centre investments,” said Nate Glubish, minister of technology and innovation. “This approach strikes a balance that we believe is fair to industry and Albertans, while protecting Alberta’s competitive advantage.”
Treasury Board president and Finance Minister Nate Horner said the government is also considering options to provide more cost stability, including a payment in lieu of taxes program to allow for predictable annual payments, and a deferral program to ease cash-flow pressures during construction and early operations.
“After working closely with industry, we’re introducing a fair, predictable levy that ensures data centres pay their share for the infrastructure and services that support them,” Horner said. “This approach provides stability for businesses while generating new revenue to support Alberta’s future.”
The province said qualifying data centres will be recognized as designated industrial properties, with property values assessed provincially. Land and buildings tied to these facilities will remain subject to municipal taxation, though municipalities will be permitted to offer incentives or deferrals of up to 15 years under the Municipal Government Act.
The new framework follows Alberta’s Artificial Intelligence Data Centre Strategy, launched in December 2024, which aims to position the province as a hub for AI infrastructure. Alberta touts its natural cooling advantages, relatively low-cost power, and tax regime as draws for investors.
According to industry projections cited by the province, the global AI data centre market could top $820 billion by 2030, with capacity demand expected to more than triple. AI alone is forecast to drive a 160% increase in global data centre energy use by the end of the decade.