This new passenger terminal at the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport included a 645,000-square-foot building, 15 new gates, links to the existing terminal and new parking structure, and an elevated road to the third floor. Expanded customs areas and a state-of-the-art baggage handling system were built to improve passenger flow, while new information systems comply with the strict security requirements of the post-9/11 world. The events of 9/11 led to significant changes in the project’s original security and baggage screening concepts, but PCL integrated these changes while still delivering scheduled savings.

When a design delay threatened the timely delivery of steel and, by extension, the entire schedule, the PCL team got creative. Implementing a unit-price tendering scenario centered around mill run dates, they formulated a comprehensive tender package that ultimately saved the client approximately $3.5 million. This contributed in large part to the team’s ability to turn over the new terminal expansion both on budget and a full six months ahead of schedule.