State-of-the-practice in alternative delivery of transportation infrastructure construction projects in Canada

Alternative project delivery methods enable the sharing of risks associated with transportation infrastructure projects between public and private sectors. Since the 1990s, agencies have increasingly sought alternatives to traditional design–bid–build methods of project delivery. This technical note summarizes the state-of-the-practice in alternative delivery of transportation infrastructure construction projects in Canada, through an analysis of a proprietary data source. Since 1992, a total of 77 projects accessed private financing to build transportation infrastructure in Canada (roads, urban rail transit, bridges, tunnels), with a total value (in 2024 CAD) of CAD 66 billion. Following a prolonged period of increased use of these methods, an apparent decline since the COVID-19 pandemic may indicate growing hesitancy in the industry. This recent evidence suggests the need to better understand project risk profiles and risk sharing arrangements. Overall, the findings offer a foundation for peer-to-peer benchmarking and knowledge transfer in an ever-evolving industry.