Canadian infrastructure projects receive global recognition

Vancouver, Calgary and Greater Toronto Area projects among the 100 most innovative

TORONTO, July 17, 2012 /CNW/ - The development of sustainable urban infrastructure is one of the greatest challenges of the 21^st century. With more than half of the global population already squeezed into cities that, collectively, make up less than two percent of the planet's land cover¹, the pressure being placed on urban infrastructure is unprecedented.

"The worldwide demand for infrastructure is expected to require the investment of tens of trillions of dollars over the next four decades," said Brad Watson, Partner and Head of KPMG's Global Infrastructure Advisory Practice in Canada. "A focus on innovative infrastructure solutions that drive economic renewal, create jobs and deliver tangible long-term impact is critical when balancing the needs of the population, the economy and the environment."

KPMG's Infrastructure Advisory Practice is pleased to announce the following Canadian projects have been chosen in a variety of categories as some of the 100 most innovative and inspiring urban infrastructure projects in the world as part of Infrastructure 100: World Cities Edition:

Education:

• SAIT Polytechnic's Trades and Technology Complex (Calgary, Alberta) The Complex will bring 740,000 square feet of additional training space for one of the leading training centres in energy, construction and manufacturing.

Global Connectivity:

• Calgary International Airport Development (Calgary, Alberta) The development will more than double the size of the current airport, helping to accommodate the airport's recent and anticipated passenger growth.

Urban Energy:

• University of British Columbia's (UBC) Bioenergy Research and Demonstration Facility (Vancouver, British Columbia) The clean energy project will be the world's first biomass fueled, heat-and-power generation system operating on a scale suitable for communities.

Recycling and Waste Management:

• Harvest's Energy Garden (Richmond, British Columbia) Canada's first high-efficiency system for producing renewable energy from food scraps and yard trimmings, the project will see up to 27,000 tonnes of food scraps and yard trimmings per year diverted from landfills and generate energy for up to 700 homes in the Lower Mainland area.

• Durham York Energy Centre (DYEC) (Courtice, Ontario) The DYEC will process the residential waste that remains after Durham and York Regions' aggressive composting and recycling programs, while also recovering metals and energy.

Urban Regeneration:

• Waterfront Toronto (Toronto, Ontario) One of the largest regeneration projects in North America and a 25-year programme, this will include 40,000 new residences (20 percent will be affordable housing), 40,000 new jobs, new transit infrastructure and 300 hectares of parks and public spaces.

"Cities across Canada are refreshing and expanding post-war infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of Canada's urban populations," said Watson. "It's exciting to see Canadian projects setting an example when it comes to building sustainable and environmentally conscious cities that are providing citizens with great living spaces."

Profiles of these projects are now featured in the much-anticipated second edition of Infrastructure 100: World Cities Edition, which was recently released at the World Cities Summit in Singapore. This edition provides insight into the infrastructure projects that make great cities, with a particular focus on the innovations that make them 'Cities of the Future' - places where people want to live and do business.

¹Global Report on Human Settlements 2011 - Cities and Climate Change by UN HABITAT, March 2011. Available at: http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=9599&catid=7&typeid=46

About Infrastructure 100: World Cities Edition
The projects showcased in the Infrastructure 100 are made up of approximately 20 projects selected by judging panels of industry experts from five regions of the world, including: Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. Projects were then sorted into 10 project categories, including: Urban Mobility, Global Connectivity, Urban Regeneration, Education, Healthcare, Water, New and Extended Cities, Recycling and Waste Management, Urban Energy Infrastructure and Communications Infrastructure.

Five regional judging panels assessed hundreds of submissions on the following criteria: feasibility, social impact, technical and/or financial complexity, innovation and impact on society.

The complete list of the 100 projects can be viewed online at www.kpmg.com/infrastructure100.

About KPMG's Global Infrastructure Practice
KPMG's Global Infrastructure practitioners are on site in 146 countries, advising governments, developers and investors across the lifecycle of infrastructure projects - from strategy and financing to delivery and hand-back. By combining valuable global insight with hands-on local experience, KPMG's Infrastructure professionals work to consistently provide integrated advice and effective results to help clients succeed. For more information, visit www.kpmg.com/infrastructure.

About KPMG in Canada
KPMG LLP, an Audit, Tax and Advisory firm (kpmg.ca) and a Canadian limited liability partnership established under the laws of Ontario, is the Canadian member firm of KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"). KPMG member firms around the world have 145,000 professionals, in 152 countries.

The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity, and describes itself as such.

Follow @KPMG_Canada for the latest information on Infrastructure 100: World Cities Edition.

Michael Bodsworth 
Manager, Media Relations
KPMG in Canada
416-777-3407
[email protected]