Project Overview

As part of Calgary’s Rivers District Master Plan, the BMO Convention Centre underwent a landmark expansion transforming it into Western Canada’s largest convention facility and the second largest in the country. This C$500 million project positions Calgary as a global destination for major events, providing state-of-the-art amenities.

Canterra Builders utilized its expert General Contracting and logistics management skills to navigate the complexities of this high-profile project. It demanded precision planning, tight stakeholder coordination, and adherence to aggressive sustainability and scheduling standards within a dense urban environment. This project showcases our ability to deliver large-scale, technically complex builds outside of our core resource sectors.

Key Challenges & Solutions

• Urban Site Constraints

  Operating within a dense city core required meticulous logistics management and phased material delivery to maintain public access and avoid disruptions to surrounding infrastructure and communities.

• Seamless Integration

  The new expansion had to align perfectly with the existing convention center’s operations. This was achieved through digital modeling (BIM), phased execution, and round-the-clock coordination to minimize downtime.

• Sustainability Requirements

  The project was built to meet high green building standards. We incorporated energy-efficient systems and specialized material sourcing strategies to significantly reduce environmental impact and ensure long-term efficiency.

• Supply Chain Disruptions

  Global material delays were mitigated through proactive vendor coordination across our national supply chain and agile sourcing strategies, ensuring critical path items remained on track.

• Multi-Stakeholder Alignment

  Effective communication with city authorities, architects, multiple specialized sub-trades, and the community ensured a unified vision and strict timeline control through centralized General Contracting.

• Budget and Cost Control

  With fluctuating material and labor prices, we implemented strict financial oversight and real-time cost tracking essential to maintain the project scope within the client's C$500M budget.

• Health & Safety Compliance

  Stringent Health & Environment (H&E) protocols were implemented throughout construction, especially critical in a high-traffic environment, ensuring an industry-leading safety record.

Outcome