An $18.1-million modernization of the Paterson port of entry in British Columbia highlights the logistical, operational and Indigenous-participation requirements contractors can expect on federally funded border projects.
Image courtesy of the Government of Canada.
Construction is underway on the modernization of the Paterson, B.C. port of entry, a project that could provide a useful case study for general contractors pursuing work in the federal infrastructure market.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) says an $18.1-million contract has been awarded to Greyback Construction Ltd. for the project, with completion expected in 2028. The work will modernize facilities at the Canada-U.S. border crossing while maintaining operations at the site.
For contractors, that operational constraint is one of the project’s most significant features. Work at an active port of entry requires construction sequencing, site logistics and coordination to be managed around ongoing border operations and the movement of both commercial and traveller traffic.
The project is part of the federal government’s broader Land Border Crossing Project, which is intended to improve infrastructure at ports of entry across Canada.
New facilities, broader implications
The Paterson project will include a new inspection booth capable of processing both traveller and commercial vehicles, expanded space for secondary inspections and a new enclosed garage. The facility is also intended to serve as a prototype or base model for medium- to high-volume border crossings elsewhere in the country.
That standardized approach could be significant for contractors watching the federal infra-structure pipeline. A repeatable facility model can potentially create opportunities for companies with the experience, systems and regional capacity to deliver similar projects at multiple locations.
The work also illustrates how federal infrastructure projects increasingly incorporate objectives beyond the physical construction scope.
As part of the procurement, Greyback has committed to an Indigenous Participation Plan that includes subcontracting at least five per cent of the contract value to a supplier from the Osoyoos Indian Band.
For general contractors, such requirements can influence procurement strategies well before construction begins, particularly when projects are located in communities where Indigenous participation and local economic benefits form part of the federal government’s contracting objectives.
Building while the border stays open
The Paterson project also underscores the growing complexity of public infrastructure work. Contractors are being asked not simply to build new facilities, but to integrate construction into operational environments where disruption can have economic and security consequences.
At a border crossing, that means coordinating construction activities with federal personnel, transportation requirements and site-security protocols while maintaining service for commercial traffic.
With work scheduled through 2028, the project offers a relatively modest example of a much broader challenge facing Canada’s construction sector – delivering critical public infrastructure in locations where operations cannot simply stop while construction takes place.
For general contractors, the lesson may be as much about delivery capability as project size. Companies able to demonstrate strong phasing, stakeholder coordination, security, Indigenous-participation and live-site management capabilities could be well positioned as Ottawa continues investing in Canada’s border infrastructure.