The first seven months of 2015 exceeded annual investment levels for Canadian transport PPPs between 2012 and 2014, according to IJGlobal data. Deal flow is also on the rise.

Canada closed about $2.4 billion in transportation PPP investment, across three deals, in 2012. Investment slipped to $2.2 billion in 2013, before falling sharply to $900 million in 2014.

In the first seven months of 2015, however, Canada closed six transportation PPPs totalling investment volume of nearly $9 billion.

Two deals make up the majority of 2015 investment thus far – the C$4.24 billion ($3.2 billion) St. Lawrence bridge PPP in Montréal, Québec, and the C$5.3 billion Eglinton Crosstown light-rail transit (LRT) project in Toronto, Ontario.

Canada hosts perhaps the strongest social PPP markets globally, but it has recently increased its transport PPP pipeline – especially transit projects. The country has been applying its social PPP expertise and experience to the transport sectors.

Earlier this year, the province of Ontario said that it will be invest more than $130 billion in infrastructure over the next decade, including $11.9 billion in 2015 and 2016.

Ontario is planning to tender the estimated C$1 billion Finch West light-rail transit (LRT) project in the fourth quarter of 2015. The province is also planning to launch the equally sized Hurontario LRT in 2016. In July 2015 the province issued a request for qualifications for the C$200-500 million Highway 427 expansion project.

The provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan are also pursuing large-scale transport PPP procurements, including the Southwest Calgary ring road and the C$2 billion Regina bypass. At the federal level, Canada launched a tender for the long-awaited Gordie Howe International Bridge PPP. The new bridge will connect Highway 401 in Windsor to Interstate 75 in Detroit, Michigan. Statements of qualification are due in October 2015.