OHL Group Annual Report - Grupo Villar Mir

2010 OHL Group Annual Report
to those companies having a high level health and safety program. In recent years
Community Asphalt has been obtaining excellent health and safety results, and,
consequently, has come to form part of this select program.
• The business association Círculo de Empresarios together with the business
school of the University of Pennsylvania, the Wharton School, awarded special
mention to the 826/836 Interchange project as one of the most representative
international operations of Spanish companies in 2010.
Canada
In 2010 Canada had an economic growth of nearly 3% which, according to the Bank
of Canada, will be reduced to 2.3% in 2011. The Construction Sector Council indicates
in its report Construction looking forward 2010-2018 that GDP will grow by 2.7% in
each of the years 2012 and 2013. This agency likewise forecasts growing labor costs
in the construction sector owing to increased demand and number of projects. The
federal government will maintain the infrastructure stimulus fund during 2011. In
recent years, Canada has become, and will continue in 2011 to be the most active
concessions market, focusing on social infrastructures and transport.
OHL Canada will continue its strategy of obtaining social infrastructure contracts
(hospitals and courthouses) and transport (highways, railways and subways), seeking
out the right partners, and in those places where it has a competitive advantage,
focusing on the markets of Ontario and Quebec, where it has an office. It will also
seek out opportunities in other provinces having an active construction market, such
as Alberta, British Columbia and Newfoundland, seizing opportunities and taking
advantage of federal and provincial government stimuli.
Significant Activities
Among the most significant activities in this country in 2010 mention need be made
of the opening in the month of August of the OHL Canada office in the metropolitan
area of Toronto, as an addition to the Montreal office, which has been open since
January 2009. Its opening confirms the interest of the Group in the Ontario market,
especially the Toronto market.
Moreover, OHL was designated as preferred bidder and subsequently awarded
the first Group contract in Canada, the project for extending the Toronto Subway:
“Highway 407 Station and Northern Tunnels of the Spadina Subway line”, the first
contract of the Group in Canada.
In February 2011,
OHL signed its
first contract
in Canada, a
project for the
extension of the
Toronto Subway,
after being
selected in
November 2010
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