Aecon awarded $25 million MTO contract to expand Highway 7

TORONTO , Dec. 7 /CNW/ - Aecon Group Inc. (TSX: ARE) announced today that its Infrastructure Division has been awarded a $25.8 million contract by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to expand Highway 7 near Ottawa , Ontario.

Under the contract, Aecon Construction and Materials (ACML) will work closely with Aecon's wholly-owned subsidiary, The Karson Group, to widen Highway 7 from two lanes to four lanes for a five kilometre stretch, from just west of Highway 15 to the Highway 417 interchange. For the project, Aecon will construct a new interchange and seven concrete culverts, rehabilitate an existing bridge, as well as perform minor signage upgrades. Work on the project is scheduled to be completed in September of 2011.

"The project demonstrates Aecon's ability to bring a full suite of services to infrastructure projects," said Teri McKibbon, CEO of Aecon's Infrastructure Group. "MTO is a valued, Aecon customer and both the ACML and Karson teams look forward to working on this project together."

Aecon recently announced another MTO contract for the $58 million expansion of Highway 69 near Estaire, Ontario.

Aecon Group Inc. is Canada's largest, publicly traded construction and infrastructure development company. Aecon and its subsidiaries provide services to private and public sector clients throughout Canada and on a selected basis internationally. Aecon is pleased to be recognized as one of the 10 Best Employers in Canada as published by Report on Business Magazine.

The information in this news release includes certain forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties which are generally described in the Final Prospectus filed on September 22, 2009 and available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although Aecon believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct.

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For further information: Mitch Patten, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Aecon Group Inc., [phone], [email protected], www.aecon.com