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Bird Construction Inc. (Bird) has announced that it has been selected by Infrastructure Ontario, the Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) as the preferred proponent to design, build and finance (DBF) the Ontario Provincial Police Modernization Phase 2 project.

Bird has been selected among the three-set of qualified teams who were invited to respond to the RFP in July 2017. The other two teams were, namely, ​DBF Pomerleau Team and EllisDon Infrastructure Justice.

Bird will undertake the design and build and will also own the concession responsible for the financing of the project through Bird Capital, a wholly owned subsidiary.

The project includes the development of nine new OPP detachments to replace buildings at the end of their useful lifespan. Phase two of the OPP Modernization is being delivered using IO's Alternative Financing and Procurement model, an innovative way of financing and procuring large, complex public infrastructure projects.

Each facility features an administration area for support staff and management, an operational area with offices and evidence storage vaults, a secure functions area with holding cells and interview rooms, and a public admittance area.

Under the first phase of the OPP modernization project, Ontario replaced 18 detachments, regional headquarters and forensic identification services with 17 new facilities in 16 communities across Ontario.

Bird is expected to reach financial close in summer of this year with construction expected to commence shortly thereafter. At the time of this release, there is no assurance that Bird will receive a contract award related to this project. The estimated cost for the project is expected to reach around CAD150 million (US$114 million).