Grand Coulee Access Road Inspection Improvement
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways was open to piloting an innovative design to provide a safer and more efficient way to manage traffic accessing a truck stop at the Grand Coulee Access intersection just east of Regina on Highway 1.
The primary objectives of the design were to enhance safety, simplify traffic operations and reduce vehicle conflict points. The selected design defers the need for a costly overpass while significantly lowering collision risk. The intersection was required to accommodate large commercial vehicles, align with future network plans, and be delivered quickly and cost‑effectively.
KGS Group staff led all phases of the work—from functional planning through detailed design and construction administration—for this unique intersection. The team evaluated five alternative concepts and selected what is described as an offset left turn configuration with integrated roundabout that simplifies driver decision making. The design addresses staging and drainage while maintaining traffic flow at the location.
Now fully operational, the intersection provided upgraded highway conditions that improves safety and capacity while preserving travel times. Construction was completed under live traffic conditions through carefully managed detours and coordinated drainage control. The project delivers a practical, replicable model that can be applied at similar highway locations in the future.
Project Highlights
- Large turning movements enabled while keeping low speeds
- PG‑64 asphalt binder for rut‑resistance under heavy turning loads
- Precise culvert installation and ditch grading to maintain surface drainage through shallow grade changes
- Delivery under live traffic that can be positioned as a case study for low-cost, at-grade treatments on similar corridors
Cote First Nation Solid Waste Transfer Station
Cote First Nation had been experiencing significant solid waste management challenges including inconsistent collection services and unmanned and non-engineered dump sites throughout the Reserve. Additionally, the main landfill site was note engineered which posed a significant risks to the surrounding soil and groundwater.
To ensure waste was being managed in a sustainable manner, Cote First Nation engaged KGS Group to review their waste management practices and design and oversee the construction of a new solid waste transfer station. We also supported community engagement events to share the importance of transfer stations and responsible waste management practices.
During construction, nearly 2,000 hours were completed by Cote First Nation members, and the total value of purchased material, worker wages and equipment rentals from the Nation was approximately $126,500. This project also presented on-the-job training and mentorship opportunities for members of Cote First Nation and was seen as a community-driven process that was mutually beneficial to everyone.
The positive effects of the project will be evident through the waste diverted from unmanned dump sites, the protected soil and groundwater, and the sense of empowerment felt across Cote First Nation to continue with responsible waste management practices.
Project Highlights
- Design and oversaw construction of a new solid waste transfer station
- 2,000 hours contributed by Cote First Nation members to complete the project and $126,500 spent on local materials, wages and rentals
- Improved protection of soil and groundwater with waste diverted from unmanned landfills
- On‑the‑job training and mentorship for Cote First Nation members
Boundary Dam Spillway Upgrade
Boundary Dam Reservoir serves as a source of cooling water for the Boundary Dam Power Station, SaskPower’s largest generating station. KGS Group was retained to perform a dam safety assessment of the Boundary Dam structures.
The dam safety review identified a number of concerns, the most critical of which were insufficient spillway capacity and deficiencies with the condition of the existing spillway. Our team was then retained to design spillway upgrades to extend the life of the 50+ year old structure and to double the discharge capacity of the spillway. We performed preliminary and final design for complete replacement of the spillway chute and basin, while maintaining the reservoir at full supply level. The work also included the installation of over 400, +30-metre-long anchors.
The team overcame complex foundation issues with bentonite seams, coal layers and high groundwater. Another critical site challenge was to design and complete each year’s construction such that the spillway could potentially pass spring flood flows. Despite many challenges, the project was completed on schedule and near budget.
Project Highlights
- Dam safety assessment, spillway upgrade design, construction support
- Complete replacement of spillway chute and basin while maintaining full supply level
- Discharge capacity doubled to improve flood performance and safety
- Installation of 400+ anchors, each over 30 metres in length
- Foundation treatment addressing bentonite seams, coal layers and high groundwater
Seven Oaks School Division Learning and Service Centre
Seven Oaks School Division needed an upgraded bus service facility. Seeing this as an opportunity to bring a larger vision to life, they acquired a 50-acre parcel of land for development of an all-encompassing Learning and Service Centre. This new centre would not only meet current service needs but would also serve as a multi-use space where students, parents and the broader community could come together for land-based learning and play.
KGS Group collaborated with PCL and Prairie Architects to achieve the aggressive project schedule, providing mechanical, electrical, civil and structural engineering services as well as construction administration services. Integrated design and collaboration among the project team were key to keeping costs within the school division’s budget while maintaining the project vision.
A modern space was created to house the school division’s transportation, operations and maintenance departments as well as conference rooms and vocational trades classrooms. Incorporating a combination of Indigenous and western perspectives, KGS worked with the project team to bring the client’s vision to life.
Project Highlights
- An agricultural learning centre providing unique opportunities for hands-on learning and service space for garden and greenhouse produce
- Three kilometers of granular walking trails
- A toboggan hill
- Naturalized storm water retention pond
- Wawiyia’kiti’gahn (circle garden), used as an outdoor teaching area
- A naturalized landscape and planned agricultural plots for community vegetable gardens
University of Manitoba Fort Garry Riverbank Asset Management
On the northwest side of the University of Manitoba Fort Garry Campus, which is located on Treaty 1 Territory, 600 meters of Sifton Road along the Red River acts as the Primary Line of Defense (PLD) dike, protecting the City of Winnipeg from flooding. Along the riverbank, ongoing and uncontrolled surface water discharge from Culvert 108 created over-steepened slopes and was threatening the integrity of this portion of Sifton Road.
KGS Group designed an innovative solution to reconstruct Culvert 108, Sifton Road and the PLD dike system. A first for this technology in Winnipeg, the solution used buoyant lightweight fill material anchored with helical piles. Additionally, the land drainage system was redesigned, Culvert 108 was upgraded to prevent future damage and supplemental vegetation was planted. The result was an area that is fully integrated with the surrounding ecosystem and is ready for future use opportunities while protecting the community.
Project Highlights
- Designed a solution to reconstruct Culvert 108, Sifton Road and PLD dike system to restore flood protection and roadway function
- The solution, a first for this technology in Winnipeg, included buoyant lightweight fill anchored with helical piles
- Redesigned the land drainage system to control and safely route surface water, reducing erosive outflows to the riverbank
Assiniboine River and Lake Manitoba Basins Flood Mitigation Study
The flood of 2011 highlighted several potential “weak links” in Manitoba’s flood control system, which resulted in widespread damage across the province. To address the propensity for flooding in the Assiniboine River and Lake Manitoba basins, KGS Group carried out a flood mitigation study, which identified major flood vulnerabilities and assessed a wide range of measures to improve protection in the region.
A vast amount of data was reviewed and over 70 mitigation options were evaluated including dikes, reservoirs, diversion channels, wetland restoration and development controls. As well, a number of sophisticated models were developed to calculate cost-benefit ratios and the economic viability of the options.
Working collaboratively with Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure, the project team developed a technical workshop and held public open house events to incorporate important feedback into the study findings.
The results of the study identified over $1 billion of flood mitigation upgrades required to increase the flood protection level to provincial standards across the basin. The results will also serve as the foundation for major flood mitigation programs for the next several decades.
Project Highlights
- Reviewed and synthesized basin‑wide datasets to establish current and future flood risk profiles
- Evaluated 70+ mitigation options, including dikes and levees, reservoirs and storage, diversion channels, wetland restoration, development controls
- Compiled actionable study deliverables for program planning
Crossing Enhancements on Beaver Creek at Historic Fort Ellice
The Crossing Enhancements on the Beaver Creek project aimed to reconcile human infrastructure with the natural environment at the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Fort Ellice property. The project focused on modifying a concrete ford crossing that impeded fish migration on Beaver Creek, to enhance bi-directional fish passage, maintain structural integrity and minimize ecological disruption.
Collaborative efforts led to the development of a rock ramp, that balanced technical feasibility, ecological sensitivity and regulatory compliance. The rock ramp now serves as a success story for future leaders and caretakers of the land and exemplifies sustainable conservation that combines sound engineering with environmental stewardship.
Project Highlights
- Modified the existing concrete ford crossing to reduce hydraulic barriers to fish movement
- Constructed a naturalized rock ramp to enable bi‑directional fish passage
- Configured ramp geometry and rock gradation to maintain crossing stability while minimizing habitat disruption
University of Manitoba Roadway Capital Improvement Program – Fort Garry Campus
A multi-year endeavour, the University of Manitoba’s Roadway Capital Improvement Program involved the renewal of an aging roadway network throughout the entire Fort Garry Campus. KGS Group was retained to reconstruct 6-lane‑kilometres of urban and rural roads to deliver a more durable, accessible and attractive public realm. The program integrated extensive streetscaping to enhance mobility and the campus experience for everyone.
KGS Group provided project management, design and contract administration with careful phasing to minimize disruption, combining geotechnical and topographic investigations with condition assessments to define repairs, optimize asphalt and concrete pavement structures, and align pathway routes to serve key campus destinations. KGS Group also delivered comprehensive underground utility renewal to improve reliability, serviceability and long‑term performance.
Project Highlights
- Reconstructed 6-lane‑km of urban and rural campus roadways
- Constructed 1.75 km multi‑use pathway
- Installed Broadway paver sidewalks to upgrade pedestrian corridors
- Planted street trees and installed custom benches
- Optimized asphalt and concrete pavement structures
- Relocated traffic signals and delivered campus signage plans to improve wayfinding and safety
- Renewed water mains and sanitary sewers
- Installed land drainage system to support urban trees and stormwater management
- Developed comprehensive renewal designs for water mains, sanitary sewer, land drainage with modular suspended pavement system, steam and condensate lines, chilled water and pre-cast utility trenching
City of Portage la Prairie Utility and Maintenance Facility
KGS Group led a multidisciplinary team to design and construct a state‑of‑the‑art Utility and Maintenance Facility for the City of Portage la Prairie’s public works and utilities departments. With a focus on sustainable design, the new facility exemplifies the hand-in-hand relationship between the health and comfort of those who will use the building and Mother Nature.
After the City was informed their current facility was unavailable long-term, KGS Group delivered a solution that seamlessly integrated an innovative horizontal closed-loop geothermal system, water-source heat pumps and high-efficiency HVAC heat recovery technologies that will withstand Manitoba’s harsh climate. The final result is a new facility 25 times more efficient at reducing greenhouse gas emissions than the standard building in Manitoba.
Project Highlights
- Closed‑loop geothermal wellfield to serve the building’s heating and cooling loads
- Water‑source heat pumps for space conditioning and energy‑efficient distribution
- High‑efficiency HVAC heat recovery technologies integrated into ventilation systems
- Building systems to verify performance and optimize operational settings
Geothermal Heating/Cooling System for IKEA Winnipeg
To advance IKEA’s global mandate to reduce its carbon footprint, the IKEA Winnipeg store adopted geothermal heating and cooling as a cornerstone of its energy strategy. KGS Group provided design, construction management and commissioning for a geothermal heat pump system that meets the heating and cooling requirements for the 400,000 square foot retail facility.
With four pumping wells and eight recharge wells, this system is the largest geothermal installation of its kind within Winnipeg. Since November 2012, the plant has delivered reliable, year‑round heating and cooling without using the backup gas boilers, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions for the building while showcasing pragmatic geothermal innovation.
Project Highlights
- Designed a geothermal heat pump system to serve the 400,000 square foot IKEA Winnipeg store
- Drilled and completed four pumping wells and eight recharge wells – the largest of it’s kind in Winnipeg
- Engineered wellfield layout and hydraulic balancing to optimize performance and facilitate maintenance redundancy
- Lowered carbon footprint for IKEA Winnipeg
University of Manitoba Fort Garry Campus Riverbank Management Study
With nearly 4 km of shoreline, the University of Manitoba (UM) Fort Garry Campus is inherently linked to the Red River. The UM has adopted policies to become a leader in ecological, social and economic sustainability to promote a healthier, more active campus while reducing environmental impact.
Aligning with the UM’s sustainability principles, KGS Group provided the university with a 15-year, phased riverbank management strategy that favours restoration of the riparian corridor with naturalized solutions. Integrating geotechnical and ecological concepts, the riverbank management plan is a comprehensive tool to help the university manage risk, promote riverbank health and preserve critical infrastructure. The plan mirrors the dynamic nature of the river, allowing for updates over time to reflect changes to the riverbank and the campus itself.
Project Highlights
- Mapped and segmented 4 km of shoreline to create reach‑based inventories and prioritize restoration actions
- Completed integrated assessments of bank stability, erosion risk, riparian condition and habitat value
- Defined naturalized restoration treatments (e.g., riparian revegetation, bioengineering/soft stabilization, setback planting)
Gillam Subdivision Passive Groundwater Drainage Project
The “Crayola” subdivision in Gillam sits on soil that retains a high groundwater table. Over time, seasonal freezing and elevated groundwater led to disturbance of several structure foundations. To address this persistent issue, KGS Group leveraged the timing of a planned sewer and water infrastructure renewal to design and implement a simple, robust groundwater drainage system.
By using common trench excavation, engineered drainage piping and readily available backfill, the installation of the groundwater drainage system was simplified and optimized. Because there are no moving parts, continuous drainage of groundwater occurs passively by gravity.
Designed within the new sewer and water corridors, the system simplifies future maintenance and construction, while providing easy access points for the interconnection of foundation drainage systems throughout the subdivision.
Project Highlights
- Excavated common trenches within new sewer and water corridors to integrate groundwater drainage
- Installed engineered drainage piping to collect and convey groundwater
- Placed readily available backfill to promote free drainage and protect piping
- Eliminated mechanical components – no pumps or moving parts
- Established future tie‑in locations to enable interconnection of foundation drains across the subdivision