AIMCo signs agreement to acquire 50% interest in Chilean Toll Road

EDMONTON, Dec. 29 /CNW/ - Alberta Investment Management Corporation ("AIMCo") is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement on behalf of certain of its clients to directly acquire Skanska AB's 50 per cent interest in Sociedad Concesionaria Autopista Central ("Autopista Central"), a Santiago-based toll road operator.  AIMCo looks forward to joining the existing consortium alongside Abertis Infraestructuras S.A. ("Abertis") and Santander Private Equity S.A. ("Santander"), the remaining owners of Autopista Central.

Of the offer, AIMCo CEO Leo de Bever says, "AIMCo is pleased to be acquiring 50 per cent of a highway that provides such a valuable service to the Chilean economy. Rapid economic growth in Latin America is creating a great need for infrastructure and we fully expect that going forward, patient and disciplined acquisitions will allow our infrastructure team to fill more of that need, while earning an attractive risk-adjusted return for our clients."

Autopista Central is a 61-kilometer, six-lane highway running through the centre of Santiago, connecting suburban communities with the downtown business district and the Pan-American Highway.  The Autopista Central concession uses a unique tolling mechanism based on traffic volume and road congestion, intended to provide a superior alternative for motorists and a strategic corridor for trade and commerce in Chile's capital city. The highway started operations in 2004 and the consortium holds the concession until 2031. AIMCo believes that Chile's concession framework demonstrates the country's commitment to the public-private partnership (PPP) market.

For more information please visit www.aimco.alberta.ca.

About Alberta Investment Management Corporation

AIMCo is one of Canada's largest investment management firms, with total assets under management of $70 billion.  It was established on January 1, 2008 with a clear mandate to provide superior long-term investment results for its clients. AIMCo operates independently from the Government of Alberta and is responsible for managing the investments of certain Alberta public sector pension plans, endowments and government funds, including the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund. For more information about AIMCo, visit www.aimco.alberta.ca.

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Shauna MacDonald
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