Dec 21 2012
WesternOne Equity Income Fund today announced that its modular construction division, WEQ Britco LP ("Britco"), executed a contract to design, build and install the first phase of a 2,000 room workforce accommodation complex for Manitoba Hydro.
The contract will occur in two phases and will provide workforce accommodations for the construction of the Keeyask Generating Station Project. In the first phase, Britco will provide 500 dorm rooms as well as a gymnasium, recreation centre, water treatment facilities and the kitchen and dining areas. Phase one will be complete in June 2014. Phase two of the project is subject to Manitoba Hydro receiving regulatory approval for the Keeyask Generating Station Project which is anticipated in early June 2014. In phase two of the project, Britco will supply and install the remaining 1,500 rooms for the workforce accommodation complex.
The two phases of the project are aggregately valued at approximately $207 million, with phase one totaling about $101 million and phase two $106 million.
Manitoba Hydro's proposed Keeyask Generating Station Project is estimated to be $6.2 billion. Keeyask is located in northern Manitoba, 725 kilometers northeast of Winnipeg on the lower Nelson River , 30 kilometers west of Gillam and will be Manitoba's 4th largest generating station.
"We are proud to be working with Manitoba Hydro and its First Nation and community partners on this important project and look forward to designing and building one of the most advanced workforce accommodations complexes anywhere in Canada," stated Darren Latoski , CEO of WesternOne Equity.
The rooms will be manufactured in Britco's two facilities in British Columbia and will have private bathrooms and hotel-quality finishes.
Said Latoski, "Not only does the Keeyask Project expand Britco's project delivery capabilities beyond northern Alberta and British Columbia but also it further diversifies our customer base by adding a strong renewable energy provider in Manitoba Hydro."
Manitoba Hydro's Keeyask Project is the largest project for Britco during its 35 years in business. Since it was acquired by WesternOne Equity in June 2011, Britco has announced a series of expansion initiatives including the establishment a modular building manufacturing facility in Waco, Texas (September 2011) and the purchase of a modular manufacturing business in Edmonton, Alberta (January 2012).